Timeless Tax Day Readings

April 20, 1971
To the Editor of the Boston Globe:
For thirty years, as religious pacifists and advocates of the way of love and nonviolence in all human relationships, my husband and I have been active in the search for peace. It is, therefore, with special dismay that we watch the increase in lawlessness and violence in the country in recent months.

A particular case in point has been brought to our attention recently by a group that claims to be “in the business of peace.” We have received a number of appeals, or more realistically demands, for funds in support of the group’s program despite our repeated response in the negative. The demands come from a small town in Massachusetts, but we have reason to believe that the organization has much larger ramifications in Washington. It has been suggested, furthermore, that this group is involved in various illegal and violent activities, including the use of both bombs and willful arson as well as outright murder of innocent people. It is said that this group advocates forceful overthrow of governments and coercion or overt repression of those who disapprove of its activities.

It is evidence of this repressive behavior that we are anxious to bring to public attention. In the last few weeks we have received notes that read like ultimata from these people asserting that if we are not willing to contribute to their program voluntarily, they will take steps to help themselves to our funds or our personal possessions.

We would like to know whether other readers of The Globe have had this experience, and what they have done to stop this outrage. The group refers to itself as “IRS.”

Elizabeth H. Boardman
(Originally printed in the Boston Globe, April 20, 1971)

Other excellent readings that you can find online:
A Matter of Freedom by Juanita Nelson
“…Why am I going to jail? Why am I going to jail in a bathrobe? What does it matter in the scheme of things whether or not you put on your clothes? Are you not making, at best, a futile gesture, at worst, flinging yourself against something which does not exist? Is freedom more important than justice?…” Liberation, Sept. 1, 1960, p. 12

WIN Magazine, Feb. 1, 1971 Among articles about war tax resistance, this issue included the four below:

A letter to I.R.S. From Mrs. Jonquil J. Kohls
 “…I will not voluntarily pay any more taxes to you because you, after countless instructions, warnings, suggestions to the contrary, still insist upon using American wealth and the blood of my generation to destroy southeast Asia in the name of democracy and freedom. I will do all within my power to stop you.…” (p. 17)

A.J. Muste, Jan. 8, 1885-Feb. 11, 1967
“If an individual is convinced of the immorality of war, and in particular is convinced of the utter injustice of the position of the United States in the Vietnam war, then he cannot carry a gun in that war, nor can he pay others to carry guns for him by voluntarily paying his Federal Income Tax.” (pp. 18-19)
 
“How to fire your own I.R.S. agent at home, in your spare time” by Sue Rachlis
“On the day of the first Moratorium, my daughter and I, having leafletted all morning, were stripping wallpaper when the doorbell rang. Recognizing our caller as an IRS man…” (pp. 20-21)

A Bizarre Bazaar by Anon.
“You might say the internal revenue service threw a party for peace people at the national guard armory in boulder, Colorado on November 18th. there were balloons, masks, cookies and plenty of laughter….” (p. 22)  

Pete’s Pie by Pete Seeger (Image shown to the left)
“Many people have asked where they can get copies of the pie chart I carry in my guitar case, so here it is. I’ve been an amateur musician all my life; now I’m an amateur economist….” (WIN Dec 15, 1972, p. 20)