Ads Provide Window on U.S. War Tax Resistance in the 1970s

http://www.unz.org/ has some scans of old magazines of interest. Naturally, I went hunting for tax-resistance related bits and pieces. Today, a hodge-podge of ads that gives a sort of impressionistic picture of the state of the American war tax resistance movement during .

The first one comes from the DC Gazette from :

It’s War Tax Payment Time! Persons are required to file income tax returns before April 15. 60% of your tax money will go for military-related purposes. If you are interested in refusing to pay some or all of your income taxes, write for free literature to Washington War Tax Resistance, 120 Maryland Avenue North-East, D.C. 20002, or call 546‒8840 or 546‒6231. You may be able to refuse war taxes even if you have a refund due.

The next comes from the back cover of New Politics, also from :

Taxes killing you? Think about the Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians… Your taxes are killing them too: for real! War Tax Resistance: The Responsible Alternative. 921 East 31 Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64109.

The next comes from the DC Gazette from :

Are You Paying $1000 for War? The average U.S. household pays $1000 a year in income taxes for the military. 60% of the federal budget, excluding self-financed trust funds, goes for military purposes. Can you justify spending so much of your money on the military? If not, you should know that there are ways to refuse payment of war taxes. This is true even if your income is subject to withholding. Thousands of your fellow Americans — with a wide variety of lifestyles — are engaged in war tax refusal. For information on how you can refuse war taxes and redirect the money to worthwhile purposes, mail the coupon below or call Washington War Tax Resistance at 546‒6231 or 546‒8646. (Please send me free brochures on war tax resistance; I enclose $1 for a copy of the comprehensive book “Ain’t Gonna Pay for War No More” by Bob Calvert, with Foreword by Dave Dellinger; I enclose a contribution of $__ to help you spread the word.) Mail to: Washington War Tax Resistance, 120 Maryland North-East, Washington, D.C. 20002

The next comes from the DC Gazette:

Tax Refusers: To show that many people are already refusing taxes, we would like the names of tax resisters who are willing to be included in a public list of resisters. Please state whether you are refusing the telephone tax, income taxes and/or are living on an income below taxable levels. Washington War Tax Resistance, 120 Maryland Avenue, North-East, D.C. 20002.

A similar effort is underway today, with the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee collecting names of signers to its War Tax Boycott in the hopes of assembling an impressive public list of resisters.

The last ad in today’s flashback comes from the DC Gazette:

War Tax Resistance: information, counseling, local newsletter, direct action. Washington War Tax Resistance, 120 Maryland North-East, Washington, 20002, (202) 546‒6231 or 546‒8646.

War tax resisters are still active in the Washington, DC area. You can visit the Washington DC Area War Tax Resistance site.