I’m heading out to North Carolina for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee national gathering in Asheville. If you’re in the area, stop by and say “hi.”
Elsewise… for what I think is the first time, the gathering is going to be broadcast over them thar interwebs. You can eavesdrop starting Friday afternoon at http://new.livestream.com/accounts/3800127/nwtrcc.
From the Daily Illini:
Anarchist encourages social non-violence
by Gary Puckett
staff writerA commitment to non-violence embodies much more than simply resisting the draft or refusing to pay taxes to a government engaged in war, according to Karl Meyer, pacifist and anarchist.
To be truly non-violent people must relate the concepts of non-exploitation of others to all phases of their lives, Meyer said to a group of about 30 persons at the Lutheran Student Center .
Meyer has been involved with anti-war groups and served nine months in the Cook County Jail for refusing to pay federal income taxes.
“Non-violence begins with overcoming our fears of economic deprivations, death, and loss of social status,” Meyer said. “It also consists of overcoming our hatreds of those who have the wealth, the weapons, and the power. The reaction to those who harm us is usually one of violence. Non-violence goes beyond this and disarms the fear of others towards us.”
Meyer disputed the truth of People’s Republic of China Party Chairman Mao Tse-Tung’s axiom that power grows out of the barrel of a gun.
“It isn’t the gun that makes us strong,” Meyer said, “it’s the bond between people. The reason the Vietnamese people were able to defeat the United States was because they had a much greater spiritual power.
“The gun was unnecessary for them. Unfortunately, they saw the gun as a symbol to overcome people’s fears. If there had been some way to change their strength to peaceful power, the opposition would have collapsed just the same,” he said.
Meyer also questioned the power the Internal Revenue Service exercises over citizens. He called on the members of the audience to follow his example and not give money to a government that used 60 per cent of its taxes for defense.
“I haven’t paid any federal income tax ,” said Meyer. “I don’t pay now and I don’t think I ever will.”
Meyer does believe people have an obligation to contribute to society and said he does give his share, although not to the government.
“I believe in paying my social dues,” Meyer explained. “I tax myself one-third of my annual income and give it to the Catholic Worker newsletter and the United Farm Workers.”
Although in the past the government has pressured Meyer to pay his taxes, his income now falls below the non-taxable poverty line of $2,050 a year. Meyer works for an Illinois state agency which helps train mentally retarded and physically-handicapped adults.
“I prefer this,” Meyer said, claiming to be wearing second-hand clothing. “When I enter into an exchange with other people, I know I will at least be entering into an equitable exchange.
“I want to live my life without stepping on other people. Unfortunately, most peoples’ lives are lived at the expense of others. They believe we must kill in order to survive,” he said.
Meyer explained that at the heart of non-violence is a spirit of tolerance and conciliation” [sic]
