A form of conscientious objection, war tax resistance—holding back all or part of federal taxes in order to prevent their use for war—has a long and honorable history in the United States, dating back to the colonial era and including such famous resisters as Henry David Thoreau.

"If the resisters are not arrested and prosecuted, it will expose the myth that people go to jail for not paying their taxes," says Mary Loehr of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC), one of the organizations sponsoring the event. "If they are arrested and prosecuted, it will expose the myth of religious and conscientious freedom."

The challenge is part of a day-long protest against the U.S. military budget organized by NWTRCC and the War Resisters League, the nation's oldest secular pacifist organization. At 9:00 a.m., the resisters and other activists will gather at the base of the Washington Monument to conduct a "penny poll" in which passersby can express their opinions about the uses of tax dollars and federal budget priorities.

At noon, the group will march to the IRS headquarters to announce their noncompliance with the law and invite prosecution by the tax collecting authority. Among those planning to announce their resistance and invite IRS prosecution are Carol Moore of Washington, Dan Lundquist of Minnesota and Robert Randall of Georgia, some of whom have resisted federal taxes for more than twenty years. Protester will carry signs and banners explaining their reasons for tax resistance. Those turning themselves in to the IRS will present the results of the "penny poll" and letters describing their cases. The protest comes at the end of a weekend conference on war tax resistance held by NWTRCC and the National Campaign for a Peace Tax Fund.

"More than half of the federal government's discretionary budget is dedicated to the Pentagon," said Ruth Benn, Director of the National Office of WRL. "As war resisters, we cannot oppose militarism and support a permanent war-time economy with our tax dollars."

The event on July 10 is part of a 40-day series of actions for peace promoted by the Fellowship of Reconciliation. The war tax resistance conference will be held July 6-9 at Catholic University in Washington, bringing together more than 100 activists from 15 countries. Saturday, July 8, is a day of workshops; that evening there will be a panel of war tax resisters telling their stories. Both are free and open to the public.

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