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Re: Should war tax resisters support the Religious Freedom Peace T
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tee_l-@yahoo.com
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Oct 09, 2008 11:13 PDT
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The argument that I've heard that most sways me toward supporting PTF legislation is that it would basically establish CO status for taxpayers. This would be such an important precedent to be set, that conscientious objection to PAYING for war be acknowledged and accomodated by law. Even if the mechanism isn't to everyone's satisfaction, getting that toe-hold is an important, vital step toward what we want -- it helps move us in that direction. Even if all wtrs didn't avail themselves of the fund, wouldn't/shouldn't that precedent give greater legal defense/grounds for refusing to pay?
peace,
tana
--- On Thu, 10/9/08, bilj-@spiretech.com <bilj-@spiretech.com> wrote:
From: bilj-@spiretech.com <bilj-@spiretech.com>
Subject: Re: [wtr-s] Should war tax resisters support the Religious Freedom Peace T
To: wtr-@igc.topica.com
Date: Thursday, October 9, 2008, 10:44 AM
Dave - Yes, thank you very much for the links; I too plan on reading them
when there is more time to think. But I'd like to respond to Martin very
quickly: The Peace Tax Fund can be looked at as simply a tool - one that
I hope very much that we bring into reality. The Dept. of Peace is
another tool. The choice is not an either/or; in my opinion, both of these
tools compliment each other. Neither is perfect, both will require
vigilance on our part to ensure that they do what we want them to, and as
well as we want. I have no doubt that there are other equally important
tools "out there" that we need to bring into being.
Our group gives workshops every month (except December) and speaks on
different occasions about wtr. What we hear the most often from people is
fear. The Peace Tax Fund would remove that fear. Many (if not most)
current wtr's would switch to the PTF - but, if we did our job, we would
relatively quickly have a real number to use as a lever against our
representatives in Congress - something we do not have now.
I cannot speak for others when I ask what "we" want, but for myself:
I
want "we the people" to be citizens in control of the nation, and I
want
that control to be based upon generosity, cooperation, justice,
opportunity and peace. This isn't going to happen overnight. But neither
did seatbelts (and I do remember that one.)
Pam
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Dave,
Thanks for sending this, I plan on reading more of the links.
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I've
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that the good thing about this is that it may allow some WTRs to stop
their
resistance, however, I suspect that many will continue.
It has bothered me that this really doesn't have any affect on the
military budget, and I rejoice that people could then finally vote with
their tax dollars. I suspect that a better move would be for the
Department
of Peace, and the study and practice of nonviolence so eventually the
weapons would be obsolete. I suspect we wouldn't mind paying if we
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knew
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several layers of nonviolent responst to conflict before a weapon were
ever
considered. Just some of my thoughts.
We're very excited about Heartland Speaks which begins Monday the
13th.
Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.
Peace,
Martin
Sent: Thursday, October 09, 2008 11:07 AM
Subject: [wtr-s] Should war tax resisters support the Religious Freedom
Peace Tax Fund A
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Should war tax resisters support the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund
Act?
The question sounds like a no-brainer. But it's actually more
complicated
than it may seem at first.
Over the last four days, I've been posting an analysis of the
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Religious
| | | | Freedom Peace Tax Fund Act at my blog (The Picket Line). It's a
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little
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to post the whole thing here, but I'll include a summary with
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links that
government
and
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not express the position of the National War Tax Resistance
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Coordinating
| | | | Committee, which maintains this list solely for the purpose of
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providing
| | | | a
public forum for war tax resisters and friends.
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NOTE: opinions expressed in posts to wtr-s are those of the author and
do not express the position of the National War Tax Resistance
Coordinating Committee, which maintains this list solely for the purpose
of providing a public forum for war tax resisters and friends.
|
NOTE: opinions expressed in posts to wtr-s are those of the author and do not
express the position of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee,
which maintains this list solely for the purpose of providing a public forum for
war tax resisters and friends.
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