Some historical and global examples of tax resistance → United States → “Don’t Buy Bush’s War”, 2007–08 → Kathy Labriola

The war tax resistance pledges keep coming:

I feel certain fear. / The price I must pay / For a conscience clear / And for peace, I pray

Michelle Shocked, Los Angeles, California

What can we do now but knock it up a notch? I’m with Code Pink on this one.

Jill Sobule, singer/song writer

I have been a war tax resister for 24 years. For the last several years, I have not owed any tax money. When I realized that this year, I would be paying for the war in Iraq, I withheld the approximate eight percent of my tax dollars that would fund the Iraqi war and sent those funds to Code Pink, which has worked tirelessly to stop this extremely immoral war. I know that it is only a small step on my part, but it is one step that I felt I must take. It would be great if all of us who oppose this war would take that step; the impact would be enormous. Perhaps someday people will understand that there is no reason to fear the IRS, we have the power, and they do not. And without our money, our government would have a hard time fighting wars.

Wendy Emrich, Philanthropist and mother

[T]he Bush Administration has done a very good job of convincing us that nothing we do will make difference. Doing nothing contributes to the supporting the war. The one act we can take is to withhold a portion of our taxes. Yes, it is a risk, but if we are not willing to take a risk, then we are part of the problem.… We need hundreds of thousands of tax payers to join us. That goal will be achieved one tax payer at a time. If we want to bring an end to the war, we have act. We invite all tax payers to become part of the solution by joining the war tax resistance movement.

Jim Allen, Sociology Professor, St. Louis University

Congress and the American people would rather send our diminished tax dollars to Iraq than make the hard decisions we must make as human beings who are collectively still waging a brutal war in Iraq. All that is asked of us is that we pay taxes to fund whatever our government can come up with next. All that is asked of you now when it comes to this war — is that you do not! Our soldiers do not want our tax dollars or theirs spent on keeping them in Iraq. They want to come home and have health care and support to heal from a war that will affect them and their families for the next three generations. There will be no tax dollars for them here, as long as we keep sending more over there.

Patricia Foulkrod, documentary filmmaker

I will not be paying any taxes until our government starts to develop nonviolent solutions for international problems.

Joy Ellison, Vancouver, Washington

In the tradition of the patriots that founded this country, we must speak out against tyranny!

Suzanne Wheatley, Silver Spring, Maryland

I do not support the Iraq war nor will I support a war with Iran!

Karen Gray, Plainfield, Indiana

I do not want my taxes used to support illegal wars.

Nancy Gilbertson, Moravia, New York

About damn time someone had such a good idea.

Bert McKinley, Chamblee, Georgia

Our Government has taken the country into illegal wars based on lies, and does not act in our best interest. Tax resistance seems to be needed to move our country and the world in a better direction.

Marion Ward, Vancouver, Washington

Why wait?! I’m already redirecting my taxes from the IRS/Pentagon axis to peaceful groups.

Ed Hedemann, Brooklyn, New York

Get up — stand up! Non-violent civil resistance is essential.

Kyle Finch, Topanga, California

This I believe important: don’t pay for what you believe is evil.

Meg Palley, Nevada City, California

Whatever it takes to make a difference for my children and their children and their children’s children’s children.

“Gramma of 4,” Long Beach, California

Not only does our humanity demand that we put an end to war, the challenges of Global Climate Change and Peak Oil make it mandatory that we shift our priorities now.

Elizabeth Morrison, Los Angeles, California

I cannot live with the hypocrisy of protesting against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while, simultaneously, paying to fund these wars with federal income taxes. I must obey my conscience. It is the right and reasonable thing to do.

Louise Legun, Allentown, Pennsylvania

I have been a war tax resister since 1978, and have been through numerous struggles with the IRS to resist paying taxes for war. I have refused to pay taxes and the IRS has eventually collected from me by taking the money from my bank accounts, and each year I still refuse to pay them. I would urge anyone who opposes the war in Iraq to refuse to pay some or all of your federal income tax, and send a letter to the IRS with your 1040 forms stating why you are refusing to pay. It may seem risky or frightening but I urge you not to be intimidated by the IRS, they will not throw you in jail or take your house; if you don’t pay they will send you letters demanding payment, and eventually will take money out of your bank accounts (if you have anything in your accounts). The worst that will happen is that they will take the money you owe them and add on some extra fees for penalties. I strongly support Code Pink’s tax boycott campaign.

Kathy Labriola, Berkeley, California

No longer can I hold hands with such villainy.

Matt Dinsmore, Asheville, North Carolina

Thank you for the impetus and support in this campaign to resist paying for the wars. Perhaps a rebuild Iraq fund can be started for our diverted tax money.

Kaye Werner, Bellingham, Washington

Yes, let’s cut off the fuel lines to this war machine!

Brian Ciesko, Cincinnati, Ohio

Cannot wait to see what tax season brings!

Kelly Dolcini, Sacramento, California

I am already a war tax resister, since 1998. I highly urge folks to withhold all of their taxes until we elect leaders who, to put it simply, put people before profits…

Nancy Jakubiak, Clarksville, Indiana

I’m not paying whether or not anyone else doesn’t.

Rebecca Cummings, Vernalis, California

I refused to pay Federal 1040 additional taxes in 2005 and 2006. I currently owe over $4,000, and am making small monthly payments. I sent letters to the IRS and my respresentatives stating my position. I also sent those letters to the National War Tax Resistors Coordinating Committee, for publication on their website. I am looking for a few other courageous souls to join me. Thanks for making this commitment.

John Phillips, Lake Forest, California

I’ve marched and written copious letters to my reps, to no avail. Sign me up so I can help end our illegal Iraq occupation.

Laila Selk, La Honda, California

As a military family member, I will not spend one more dime on this illegal, immoral occupation that is breaking the military and its families.

Stacy Bannerman, Fife, Washington

This government is criminal and it is illegal to support it financially!

anonymous, Boston, Massachusetts

I’ll send this to as many people as I can — we must act collectively to end the illegal occupation!

Diane Haugesag, Minneapolis, Minnesota

It is time to put our money where our mouth is.

Joseph Durocher, Orlando, Florida

Last Tuesday, Steven Short aired a piece about Northern California War Tax Resistance on KALW News’s “Crosscurrents” program.

It features brief interviews with Susan Quinlan, Kathy Labriola, and Erica Weiland. Excerpts:

Many war tax resisters donate their unpaid tax money to non-profits, or to The People’s Life Fund, run by the Northern California War Tax Resistance group.

Quinlan: The People’s Life Fund is the escrow account that was established so that people who are refusing to pay all or part of their taxes can put that money in escrow, and the interest from that is granted each year to groups that are doing the kind of work that we feel the government should be doing. The kind of work that’s being cut right now. While the military is allowed to grow, our schools and social services are being cut.

Erica Weiland is on the administrative committee for the [NWTRCC] national office. She says redirecting even a small part of what she considers a “military tax” has rewards that outweigh any fines or possible prison time.

Weiland: De-funding the military opens up a huge amount of money, resources, and time that could be used building up our communities and supporting communities around the world — who need that so much more than they need to be bombed and shot at.

Steven Short has written a follow-up based on feedback he got after his KALW radio show about Northern California War Tax Resistance. Excerpt:

Another option, though, is to opt out of paying taxes. That’s the choice for members of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. They do file their taxes, but in place of payment they include a letter of explanation. Kathy Labriola has been “resisting” since 1978. That year she says, “I sent my tax forms with a letter saying, ‘I owe you about $5,000 and here’s why I’m not going to pay.’ And every year since, I have done the same thing.”

Most of us respond to such a thought the way listener Caroline Shigad did after hearing our profile of the NWTRCC on August 2^nd. “I do not agree with my tax money going toward military spending,” she said, “but I’m not ready to risk going to jail by not paying taxes.” As reported in our story, prosecution seems to be a surprisingly small risk. According to the NWTRCC, only 30 group members have ever been taken to court in the nearly 70 years they’ve been in existence.

There’s a new NWTRCC newsletter out, with content including:

• an invitation to the upcoming NWTRCC national gathering in Pennsylvania
• a discussion of U.S. citizenship and war tax resisters — both getting citizenship and giving it up
• notes on the Jeju naval base and the Troika Fiscal Disobedience Consultancy
• actions by Don Schrader, Don Timmerman, and Phil Runkel
• a profile of war tax resister Kathy Labriola

In other war tax resistance news:

• NWTRCC is keeping a list of nationwide war tax resistance protest actions taking place between now and tax day.
• Here’s a graphic and write-up from a member of Conscience Canada, the peace tax / war tax resistance group from the great white north, as found in Canadian Mennonite.
• Paper Money carried an article on the “Thoreau Money” banknote-like leaflets that were used by war tax resistance groups in the United States during the Vietnam War. The article goes into unusual detail about the history and structure of the war tax resistance movement in that period.
• War tax resistance season has begun in Spain, too. Here’s the announcement from Derecho de Rebelión.
• The group Conscience, from the U.K., has finalized its version of “peace tax” legislation, which it hopes to get Parliament to consider. It differs in some ways from other countries’ versions of this plan for implementing legalized conscientious objection to military taxation.