Dear Renaissance Network, I consider myself a conscientious objector and have long supported the establishment of a peace tax fund. So, I'm very grateful to Carolyn Ballard for passing along the message about tax resistance in the US. I'll add one about the Canadian campaign and will gladly send out copies of letters I recently wrote in both English and French on this topic (to anyone who requests it). all the best, Jan PS I also have a limited number of copies of this rather simple but simply powerful poster Carolyn Chute sent me, a cartoon. In a few images it clearly gets across the message that, in response to the Sept. 11 attacks, we can sink into a cycle of revenge or "we can learn from each other's suffering, teach each other to forgive, and grow". To get this, you will need to send me your mailing address. ************************************************* From: "Carolyn Ballard" <•••@••.•••> Subject: Fw: [BPFNA] A Million Taxpayers for Peace Date: Wed, 13 Mar 2002 23:59:25 -0800 Jan- Thought many of your US readership might be interested in this. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Westmoreland-White" <•••@••.•••> To: "Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America" <•••@••.•••> > Dear Friends: > I am writing everyone I know about this campaign. Some of you > already practice war tax resistance. I don't, but would if I were > single and Kate & I have discussed it more seriously since 9-11. Now I > have just come across the website of the A Million Taxpayers for Peace > campaign which asks everyone who opposes the widening war on terrorism > (or war on everyone we don't like--and threatening with nukes!) to > withhold a small portion of their taxes (a mere $10.40 is suggested) > this year in nonviolent, civil disobedience. This would let the Powers > and Authorities know that they do not have the support of the people for > unlimited war against anyone and everyone. The small amount makes this > a very low-risk civil disobedience, but it would add up to numbers that > would get the Powers attention. The campaign is publishing its actions > in the media, notifying the pres., congress, the IRS, etc. If you > already practice war tax resistance in greater amounts, please publish > the website to others who do not but may consider it. Kate & I will > discuss this immediately, but since we file jointly, I cannot promise > unilaterally that I will be part of the campaign. But I hope to be. > > The website is http://www.monitor.net/~1mt/ Pass it on, please. Make > it a topic of discussion in your churches and with your friends. > > Shalom, > Michael Westmoreland-White > > _______________________________________________ > BPFNA mailing list > •••@••.••• > http://yang.earlham.edu/mailman/listinfo/bpfna ********************************************************* -----------forwarded message-------------- To: "'•••@••.•••'" <•••@••.•••> From: "Voice of Women" <•••@••.•••> Date: Thu, 7 Mar 2002 15:03:34 -0500 -----Original Message----- From: Conscience Canada [SMTP:•••@••.•••] Greetings! As a small NGO with an ever shrinking budget I would like to enlist your help in getting the message of Conscience Canada out to a wider audience. Would you be willing to put out the following ad on your email list? _____________________________________________________________________ Who are the Peacekeepers?? Paying for Peace In 2000-2001, 7.4% of the Canadian budget went to military-related expenditures. Whether we admit it or not, each taxpayer pays to kill. Armies that are trained to kill, are less equipped to deal in compassionate, life-affirming operations which also includes humanitarian aid and peacekeeping missions. "We cannot train people to use violence, under command, to kill and destroy, and then expect them after a few short lessons and still with guns in hand to become effective peacemakers." Muriel Duckworth If you support the idea of funding life-affirming projects and appropriate civilian-based defence training to carry out such endeavors, join us in taking a first step. Conscience Canada, in coalition with others, has prepared a C.O. Act that recognizes human rights for conscientious objectors. This legislation, if passed, will secure legal recognition to enable those who object, on reasons of conscience or religion, to paying to kill to claim CO status and redirect the military-portion of their taxes to peaceful initiatives. In the meantime why not put the 7.4% of your tax dollars that go to war taxes into the Conscience Canada peace trust fund and say no to fiscal conscription. For more information, contact: Conscience Canada, Inc. PO Box 8601, Central PO, Victoria, B.C. V8W 3S2. Tel.: (250) 384-5532; e-mail: •••@••.••• ________________________________________________________________________ Thanking you in anticipation Kris Mansfield - CC
