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

The tax resistance pledges at the “Don’t Buy Bush’s War” project keep pouring in:

Already resisting for two years! We must end torture, we must end wars of aggression.

Greg Junell, San Luis Obispo, California

As a disabled combat veteran I know that killing people is not the way to solve problems. If you politicians want war than it should be you politicians out there fighting and dying, not our young people.

Kim Maynard, Eugene, Oregon

Thank you for providing a legal structure to put the People’s values into actions. This will empower the public who at the moment feel powerless in the face of the present government.

Ameeta Nanji, Venice, California

Swords into plowshares. No more money for war.… We the People… it’s time to stand up.

Eileen Kreutz, Industry, Maine

…All your taxes go to destruction and power games! Don’t be a slave!

James Limbach, San Francisco, California

I haven’t filed taxes since 2003. It’s scary but I thing it’s a human right to not pay for mass murder and torture and illegal wars based on lies. Sometimes I feel bad about not contributing to the good of the commonwealth but when a good man commits murder this must be addressed. I could not stand being an accomplice to murder. I have paid taxes through all of the dirty wars we have funded for the last 30 years. I can’t do it any more. The Democrats are playing good cop bad cop with us saying in effect we feel your pain but we vote for torture, illegal wire tapping and war.

Scot Macinnis, Longmont, Colorado

Have any of you looked at a map of all our military bases lately?… They’re springing up like mushrooms after a rain and surrounding the oil rich nations like vultures. No matter how Bush and Cheney want to package it, we have no right to their resources. And we have no right pushing our way of life on them! My god, who are the extremists? Even after we realized we went to war on false pretenses, we’re still there and the bush admin. keeps pushing for more war, except against the perpetrator of 911. Why hasn’t this president been impeached?

Susan Peuler, Sandwich, Illinois

We had our chance to actually make a difference over there, but we showed our real intentions by only protecting the oil.

Julio Sandoval, Chicago, Illinois

I support the troops, but not their deaths and the deaths of the innocent.

Becky Van Meter, Houston, Texas

I am sick and tired of the death and destruction the U.S. has inflicted on other nations and its own people (including New Orleans).

Rayeanne King, Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts

We the people…

Khris Beliveau, Latham, New York

I do not give my consent to wage wars of aggression and it is immoral to compel me to pay for the murder of innocents.

Ruth Kastner, Greenbelt, Maryland

Because I am a proud American, I choose to use my Democratic right to voice my opposition to the killing of innocents, the right ot disagree with the government leaders and to do everything I can to create a planet that my children, grandchildren and all human beings can coexist on together peacefully.

Valerie Burkman, Menahga, Minnesota

Bush & Cheney should be impeached now. No more taxes until this war ends.

Linda Fecher, West Carrollton, Ohio

I am no longer willing to support a tax that pays for continued war in Iraq or Iran.

Saren Nelson, Corvalis, Oregon

This is not an easy comfortable choice, but it is one that we must make. Civil disobedience is a powerful measure. It is our charge in a democracy.

Celia Alario, Moab, Utah

The invasion and occupation of Iraq beginning in March of 2003 was a violation of international law and carried out through lies and deciet by the administration of G.W. Bush, Dick Cheney, et al. I will no longer fund this crime against humanity with my taxes.

Joseph Janssen, Scandinavia, Wisconsin

As a military family member, I am disgusted by the lack action by Congress to hold the Bush Administration accountable for the never-ending list of illegal, immoral and unethical actions they have taken that border on terroristic acts against our nation and our Constitution. Enough is enough. We need our leader to put the politics on the shelf and begin putting their sworn oath in action by defending our constitution and our democracy. If they cannot find the backbone to do that much, then no money, no government!

Beatice Kay Jones, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania

Cruise missiles or… I don’t know, health care. There’s so many things I’d rather see my tax money go to.

Laban Pheidas, Los Angeles, California

I’m sick of paying taxes that fund War. There is no freedom involved in this war. There is no liberation. This war and all wars past have been all about greed and the rich getting richer.…

Ted Newsome, Los Angeles, California

Code Pink sent this out to their mailing list this morning:

“It is not enough to say we must not wage war. It is necessary to love peace and sacrifice for it.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we honor Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday, we want to celebrate his legacy not just with words, but with action. We ask you to join us in taking one of the strongest stands you can against war: refusing to fund it with your money.

Former Secretary of State Alexander Haig once said “Let them march all they want, as long as they pay their taxes.” Well, we have marched, we have vigiled, we have sent letters and phone calls and faxes, but Congress continues to fund Bush’s war. In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr. and as part of the American tradition of non-violent civil disobedience that goes back to Henry David Thoreau, now is the time for us to take the matter of war funding into our own hands and stage a tax revolt.

In our flash video at the end of his anti-war speech MLK says; “Take a Stand, Tomorrow may be to late.” Each year we have taken a stand, and this year it is a very personal one, but one we can do together.

Our Don’t Buy Bush’s War campaign calls people of conscience to take a stand against the war in Iraq or the threat of war in Iran by signing a pledge that when joined by 100,000 other signatories, they will refuse to pay their taxes until the US gets out of Iraq (a fully operational plan begun). Our campaign offers safety in numbers and a firm stand against the Administration’s funding of the war.

We know you’ll have many questions about the campaign, and perhaps some fears. Please go to www.dontbuybushswar.org to sign our pledge, learn about other ways to support the campaign, and find answers to your concerns.

Be assured that CODEPINK will continue to work to end to this war, to restore our Constitution, to close Guantanamo, and to redirect our nation’s resources towards the needs of its people.

Thank you for standing with us in Dr. King’s memory.

Six hours later, over a hundred new people have made the pledge, and they’re still coming in fast. Here are what some of the signers have written:

As the Bush administration responds only to threats of defunding, this is my line in the sand.

Steven Humes, Durham, North Carolina

As an educator, I believe that we have a responsibility to invest in our next generation here at home, rather than in military dominance of sovereign nations halfway around the world. I will put the amount I withhold directly into our educational system.

Suzanne Knoll, Goleta, California

I love a good Tea Party!

Kimberly Wyke, Camden, Maine

I will no longer pay for what I do not want. I will no longer act as an American who is for war. I am a human being on this planet who respects other human beings and my actions will follow in line with my words. My tax dollars will be used for the cause of good not evil.

Sarah Ealey, Kentfield, California

A government that does not listen to us should not be funded by us.

Tara Mulqueen, Brooklyn, New York

Don’t feed the hand that bites you.

Paul Eagle, Belfast, Maine

There is strength in numbers but even if this becomes a solitary endeavor, I’ll know I tried.

Mary Jane McElrath, Miami, Florida

Don’t wait for the group to do it. Start (or refine) your practice of mindful consumption by refusing to consume war, and redirect your money now.

Lee Gough, Brooklyn, New York

When the American people stop paying for war, wars will cease. Lets set a good example for Congress on how to stop a war!

David Hartsough, San Francisco, California

The war in Iraq costs $6,000.00/second. That figure doesn’t take into account all the other police actions ‘our’ government forces on ‘sovereign’ nations around the world. How can anyone of conscience support that?

Matthew Schmidt, Barnesville, Ohio

War can not continue without our taxes. Pure and simple.

Lakshmi Kerner, Oakland, California

I get angry every time I think of my tax dollars going toward anything this current regime endorses!

Diane Birmingham, Fort Collins, Colorado

I have not paid the percentage of taxes that go to war voluntarily for over 20 years. I will continue to protest war in this way. The government eventually comes and gets the money, but my conscience is clear that I haven’t willingly paid for people to die.

Mike Ellison, Vancouver, Washington

This is a beautiful thing!

Christopher Constantin, Three Rivers, California

I started resisting last year. This is the only real way we the people can change the coarse in our foreign policy.

Nicholas Collins, Phoenix, Arizona

Let’s stop funding the war and fund peace instead! Imagine a world where we fund peace, not war.

anonymous, Venice, California

I am encouraging all my friends to join in the modern day tea party

Bridget Miller, Centreville, Maryland

I worry about tax gestapo at the door, but we have to do something they will notice!

Emery Goff, Farmington, Maine

Enough’s enough. I have to take a stand and so does everyone else.

Reich Benasutti, Lawrenceville, Georgia

Thank you, Code Pink.

Jason Dalldorf, Fresno, California

We have lost our Democracy; we have destroyed another nation illegally, immorally and unjustly. I refuse to continue paying for death and destruction.

Rayeanne King, Oak Bluffs, Maryland

It’s about time we all take this stand!

Lyn Gottschalk, Green Bay, Wisconsin

I am an American citizen living in Canada. I pay U.S. taxes, but the amount is minimal. Nevertheless, I will sign the pledge and withhold a % (not sure how much yet). What the U.S. does affects everyone in the world, wherever they are.

Elizabeth Whitmore, Ottawa, Ontario

I’ve already cried out in this wilderness known as America. We the people are and have been struggling against the ‘policies’ of this misadministration. Perhaps this action will open your eyes and ears. Can you hear us yet?

Kathy Walsh, Lake Worth, Florida

This is not our war! Hear our voices we will not fund your war any more! If you want war go there yourselves!

Krystal Ansley, Jacksonville, Florida

My husband and I withheld 28% of our federal income taxes for the 2006 fiscal year. That percentage is the portion that the AFSC (Quakers) said goes toward current military and defense spending i.e. war in Iraq and Afghanistan. We don’t plan on paying at least that amount this year, either. We have been receiving threatening letters from the IRS for months. The last letter we got threatened us with a $5000 fine or jail time. We know the IRS only wants their stinking money, and they don’t want to throw us in jail and have to pay for us to be there.… In the letter we received from the IRS last week, they said our reason for not wanting to pay was frivolous. We call it taking a principled stand and doing the right thing. We will wait them out.… These fascists in U.S. government are a bunch of murdering thieves. We will not give our hard-earned dollars to people who wantonly kill other people and steal the natural resources of their country. If they won’t listen to anything else they’ll damned well listen up when the money spigot is turned off. Every single American taxpayer should suck it up, stop being afraid of the government we are all 100% part owner of and cut off the money that goes toward maiming and killing innocent people and contributes directly to the bloated war machine.

Kris Graham, Houston, Texas

I will no longer support this war with my tax money. We have voted and tried to work within the system to no avail. I do not know what else to do to stop war.

Susan Thorpe, Tucson, Arizona

What gives you the right to take my money and millions of taxpayers’ money and use the billions to bully, harass, and kill innocent victims.

Cynthia Stokes-Adam, Brooklyn, New York

Bush threatens to bomb Iran unless its citizens engage in just such civil disobedience as this. Let’s show them how like we did in Boston Harbor.

Tim Wood, Atlanta, Georgia

The two of us signed this prepared petition because we have been withholding the military portion of our income tax liability since 1980. At that time we realized we could not conscientiously pay for war when we were praying for peace.

Barbara & Jim Dale, Decorah, Indiana

Like the majority of citizens of the United States of America I am fed up with the Bush/Cheney Administration’s illegal tactics to scare us into funding a war that should never have been started.

Valory Warncke, Maumee, Ohio

We know the wars are created to line the pockets of the thugs who create it for greed and to control the people. I won’t pay and I won’t be controlled by the thugs.

Shiara Lightfoot, Buena Vista, Colorado

I have not ever done this before, but I am ready to do it now.

Liz Aaronsohn, New Britain, Connecticut

Thank you Code Pink.

Ann Meany, Saint Paul, Minnesota

I cannot, in good conscience, continue to throw away my hard-earned money to fund killing in the name of capitalism’s violence against American citizens, innocent foreigners, and our dying planet.

Hal Goldfarb, Mesa, Arizona

It is a human right to refuse to participate in killing and war. I am happy to join with others in redirecting our taxes away from aggression and violence and toward building a peaceful world.

Susan Quinlan, Berkeley, California

No funding of Bush/Cheney illegal war. Not now nor in the future.

Kathleen Wolfe, Des Moines, Washington

It’s funny, not really, that I have been saying this for many years: civil disobedience works.

Leslie Provatas, Orient, New York

When our children and grandchildren look back at this moment in history and ask what we did to stop the insanity, I hope we can say that we did at least this much, if not much more.

Christopher Senn, Orcas, Washington

This is a fantastic idea! I have thought about this long and hard in the past. I don’t want my hard earned tax dollars funding a senseless war! Thank you for your sincere hard working efforts which I wholeheartedly support!

anonymous, Muskegon, Michigan

I can no longer support the death of innocent people, by funding this war through my hard earned and very needed dollars! War serves no one! This one, in particular, is insane, and we must stop it! No funding from my part!

Susan Janes, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

War is evil, and the wars being waged in my name on the Iraqi & Afghani people are particularly sickening. Terrorism is best deterred with ethical behavior & education. My ethical behavior will now include withholding my tax dollars. My government has disregarded every other effort I and hundreds of thousands of others have made to request & demand the cessation of these wars. We must push back. Thank you Code Pink.

Mary E. Stone, Montague, California

Yes, it’s time for this action. Nothing seems to have an impact in this country any more except for money. Brilliant!!

Carol Bayard, Maplewood, New Jersey

We must stop plundering and destroying out of greed. I will not let my money go there anymore.

Karen Boyer, Portland, Oregon

I strongly support this effort to make war tax resistance a more public statement against the war machine. Thanks!

anonymous, Portland, Oregon

I’m sick of my tax dollars going to this blood war for oil, and I have nothing for myself or my daughter. But most of the people I know don’t want to pay taxes for this lying crap.

Brenda Brown, Placitas, New Mexico

No Killing in my name. Signing this petition is an ethical necessity for me personally. I have to take this stand in order to live honestly.

Mathilda Cassidy, Santa Rosa, California