(The) War Is Not Over

From National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee :

Tax Day Actions, Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Here at the NWTRCC office a few notes have come in from people saying, “I've decided not to resist this year to give Obama a chance.” This is a familiar problem for the peace movement when a Democrat is elected, and, there's no denying that Obama is looking pretty good after the Bush years. He should get a lot of credit for promising an honest budget even if the numbers look bad with all the bailouts, stimulus money, and wars. The Bush folks hid the war money; it's guesswork to try and find out what's really been spent in Iraq and Afghanistan. The accounting lacks detail.

But a couple things remain clear: we will not see dramatic cuts in military spending soon, and the wars are not close to an end.

The whole idea of giving Obama a chance is tempting, but actually, he didn't recommend it himself. The blog “Daily Kos” quotes Obama from 1995: “We must form grass-root structures that would hold me and other elected officials more accountable for their actions.” He expressed the same sentiment after his nomination. It seems a good idea to take him up on it.

Get out on (or before) tax day to protest the ever-obscene military budget. See the action list below, but if there's not an action in your area, order some flyers (list at the bottom) and head out to a busy corner to leaflet for an hour.

Events are April 15 unless otherwise noted.

ARIZONA

Tucson - Members of WILPF (and friends), susan[@]susanthorpe.com or 520-312-9988. Leafleting at the Sun Station Post Office during daytime hours, and then at the main post office, Cherry Bell Station from 5 pm until midnight.

CALIFORNIA

Bay Area – Northern California War Tax Resistance, www.nowartax.org. April 14, 7 - 8 pm: Join us in front of Herbst Theater, where Amy Goodman will be speaking about “Standing Up to the Madness” to help show attendees one way they can stand up. April 15: 6 - 9 am at Glen Park BART, where we will attract the early morning media, and then educate the commuter foot traffic with our display and hand-outs. April 15th, 11 am – 1 pm, at Civic Center Plaza, where we'll join the “Tea Party” protesters against government waste and pork, while reminding them that the worst examples are found in the military budget. 4 - 6 pm at Balboa Park BART, showing off our new federal spending banner and educating taxpayers about government spending priorities.

Sonoma County - Sonoma County Taxes for Peace, 707-823-9203. Granting $1,000 of resisted taxes from the Woody Schwartz War Tax Redirection Fund to the local branch of Farms not Arms in Petaluma. One of the costs of war, and especially the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is the psychic damage done to many of the soldiers who serve there. Farms not Arms is an organization that helps to heal this damage by giving returning vets training & jobs as farmers.

COLORADO

Colorado Springs – Citizens for Peace in Space, Email. Leafleting with tax pie charts and other information at the Post Office. Time: noon.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Washington – Washington Area War Tax Resistance. Email. Vigil and leafleting at IRS headquarters, 1111 Constitution NW. Noon.

GEORGIA

Atlanta - Atlanta Peace Taxpayers (APT), Email for details. Leafleting at a major 24 hr post office. Time TBA.

KANSAS

Newton – Heartland Peace Tax Fund, susanbalzer(at)gmail.com The group got an article on wtr in Mennonite Weekly Review and its website that directs people to NWTRCC. They will share with NWTRCC a collection of testimonies gathered by Stan Bohn for the article from Mennonite wtrs. Sent pie chart in Peace Connections newsletters and making it available in at least one church. Sharing a song with poetry by David Ortman and music by Harold Moyer to various places.

KENTUCKY

Louisville — Fellowship of Reconciliation (local chapter). (502) 458-8056 or Email. Leafleting and penny poll at corner of Fifth & Market. Noon.

ILLINOIS

Evanston - Neighbors for Peace and the North Shore Coalition for Peace and Justice. Email. Wear a colorful sandwich board with a message and distribute over 1,200 of the War Resisters League “Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes” flyer at the Evanston Post Office. 8 am – 5 pm.

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