Anti-war activists withhold their tax returns

Washington Times | 4/15/02 | AP

[kattracks]

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Tax day is here, and Susan Quinlan hasn't filed her form 1040 yet. She doesn't plan to.
     As an anti-war activist, she objects to paying taxes that fund the nation's defense budget.
     Most of the 10,000 or so conscientious tax resisters nationwide send letters to the Internal Revenue Service each year explaining that they are withholding their cash and putting the money into an interest-earning fund. Then they donate the interest to what they deem life-affirming, peaceful causes.
     "We're upset that our tax money is funding militarism," said Larry Harper, a tax resister from Sebastopol.
     "This is not tax evasion," said Bill Ramsey of St. Louis, a spokesman for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. "This is tax refusal and redirection. It's a public act and an act of conscience."
     The practice isn't without risk — the IRS considers resisters to be tax cheats. Mr. Harper said the IRS took $1,200 from his bank account the first time he resisted in 1982 but has left him alone ever since.
     Critics argue that tax resisters could take advantage of charity tax credits, already part of the tax system. They also say resisters are selfish because they benefit from government services funded by citizens who do pay taxes.
     "The vast majority of salaried employees file and pay voluntarily," IRS spokesman Anthony Burke said. "Most Americans, I think, are law abiding and honest citizens."
     Just days before today's tax-filing deadline, Miss Quinlan and Mr. Harper led a workshop in Berkeley and dispensed brochures, information and support to 15 tax-resister recruits.
     The movement started after the Vietnam War and rose again during the Persian Gulf war. Miss Quinlan said interest has been piqued this year by the war in Afghanistan.
     "I wondered after September 11 if we'd be deluged with people," Miss Quinlan said. "We weren't initially. But we are seeing more now."
     Instead of putting a check in the mail today, Miss Quinlan and some of her fellow Northern California resisters will have a party and make contributions to charities from $10,000 earned as interest on their diverted tax endowment, which they call the People's Life Fund.
     Mr. Ramsey and 50 resisters in St. Louis have purchased $10,000 in medical equipment for clinics in Afghanistan. Outside the IRS office in St. Louis today, they will present the equipment to nurses who will take the supplies overseas.
     Nearly 29 alternative funds across the country plan to use $100,000 in interest this year to make grants to shelters for battered women, homeless programs and AIDS prevention.

[weikel]

Aholes the military is one of the few legitimate things we r taxed for its the rest of the Federal budget thats BS.

[Jean S]

Instead of putting a check in the mail today, Miss Quinlan and some of her fellow Northern California resisters will have a party and make contributions to charities from $10,000 earned as interest on their diverted tax endowment, which they call the People's Life Fund.

Wow. This will probably work. The slavery reparations tax credit is working.

[LarryLied]

Well OK...if the IRS isn't going after them, I'll donate my taxes to a good cause too. I can buy lifetime memberships in the NRA for a few people.

[Lancey Howard]

I guarantee that every last one of these scumbags walks into the polling place every election day and votes to have big government Democrats confiscate more and more of their neighbors' money.

[Birdwatcher]

I want to resist paying taxes because federal dollars go to the city of Berkeley. If they were for waste removal that would be okay. This guy is a real piece of work.

[Lancey Howard]

Nearly 29 alternative funds across the country plan to use $100,000 in interest this year to make grants to shelters for battered women, homeless programs and AIDS prevention.

Uh huh....

[Joe_October]

Where I can I send my money ONLY to be spent for military purposes?

[Calculus_of_Consent]

But they want to spend other peoples money on good causes.

[kcvl]

What they perceive to be "good causes". Tax revolt anyone?

[zarf]

Can we say..."bueracratic spending cash"

[Calculus_of_Consent]

Well if you can't see that they are good causes you must be a fascist or a nazi.

[Sandy]

Mr. Harper said the IRS took $1,200 from his bank account the first time he resisted in 1982 but has left him alone ever since.

WTF? I'm gonna have to try this.

[Sandy]

No kidding! I kind of like this idea.

[kcvl]

National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee

Network List for the United States
Updated February 2002

The NWTRCC maintains a list of names and addresses of more than a hundred individuals and local organizations in forty states that may assist you in finding the support you may need to decide about acting on your conscientious objection to paying taxes for war and the military, to learn what your options are and the consequences they are likely to bring. We hope you will use it to network with others who share your concerns.

-----------------------------------------

Lusosex: Nations, Sexualities, and Genders in Portuguese-Speaking Cultures (with Susan Quinlan, coeditor). U of M Press. Forthcoming.

[kcvl]

SUSAN J. QUINLAN (1967), Librarian; B.A. (1962), M.S.L.S. (1964), University of Southern California; Certificate in Library Management (1974), University of California, Berkeley.

[Timesink]

Susan Quinlan's gonna be in big big trouble by the end of this week.

[kcvl]

Susan Quinlan of Northern California WTR shared her thoughts on the parallels between U.S. foreign policy and the domestic prison system. She introduced William Mohammed from the Prisoner Support Committee of Birmingham who spoke further on the "Imprisonment of America." Karen Marysdaughter and Clark Hanjian presented a basic "How-To's and What-If's" session that led to small group meetings between experienced WTRs and new people.

The evening fun time was an eclectic mix of skits, belly -dancing, cooperative games, and a Day of the Dead ceremony honoring our loved ones, with special mention of Franklin Zahn and Marion Bromley, long-time WTR activists who died this past year.

The Sunday NWTRCC business meeting included a general discussion of how WTR as a strategy might connect with death penalty work. This led to suggestions to prepare a literature piece on the connections between militarism and the death penalty and to do more networking with death penalty groups.

We discussed possibly hosting an International WTR Conference in the U.S. We didn't think it was the best location; however, if the International Conference wishes to come to the U.S., we are willing to serve as co-hosts with the Peace Tax Fund Campaign. We agreed to stay in touch on a regular basis with third-world people that we have sent to the International WTR Conferences.

About 40 employers/contractors responded to our questionnaire about their WTR activities. Based on this we decided to produce a literature piece for WTRs to use with people who hire them.

War Tax Resistance (WTR) Movement

[flying Elvis]

My fondest hope is they lose their right to vote if convicted. :)

[kcvl]

First School Visit at Far West School in Oakland

The Little Yellow School Bus for Peace is welcomed by the students of Far West School of Oakland, the first of many schools it will visit on its journey south to Chiapas.

When The Little Yellow School Bus for Peace arrived at Far West School in Oakland, it was clear that this would be a send-off to remember. Hundreds of students, from primary school to high school, came out to visit the bus and deliver beautiful works of art, donations, and inspiring personal letters to be carried to the students at Oventic, Aguascalientes II in Chiapas, Mexico. One class even greeted the bus with its full percussion band and marched all around the bus calling out chants of solidarity! Most of the students wanted to immediately get on the bus and never get off, hoping they could make the journey right by our side! And in a way, they are right by our side thanks to the amazing banner that Far West teacher Susan Quinlan made. The banner reads, "De California a Chiapas Por Una Paz, Justa, y Digna," and depicts a long, winding road with spaces for poloroids the bus will collect at each of its stops on the journey to Chiapas. It was a pleasure to put the photo of Far West Students in the first space and know that indeed their very smiling faces, as well as their spirits and good wishes are accompanying us on our journey.

Another particularly special part of this send off was the chance to reunite with the Far West High students who had participated on an educational caravan to Chiapas last summer. In fact, it was so great to see them that we invited them to board the bus and join us at our next event!

The Back of the Bus Posse