Blog

Reflecting on the Last 40 Years

A lot of cultural shifts were taking place 40 years ago as evidenced by some anniversaries taking place this year. A couple weekends there were a couple remembrances of the events that took place around June 12, 1982 when over 1 million people descended on the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, marching through the streets of… Continue reading

A Cog in a Broke Down Machine

frustrated at computer

I can’t even remember how much time it has taken me to create an online account with the IRS.  Until recently this was not something I ever wanted to do, because they ask for so much information to establish the account. But there are a few reasons I’ve found it necessary: you can’t get anyone… Continue reading

NWTRCC News: Raffle, Tax Day Reports, Conference Report

It has been a busy spring for NWTRCC. Tax Day and our May conference are behind us and we are currently in the midst of our first fundraising raffle. Fundraising Raffle To make the May 2022 appeal a bit more fun and interesting, NWTRCC’s Fundraising Committee has organized a raffle. No donation is required to… Continue reading

Support War Resisters

Russia Peace billboard

Every year on May 15, International Conscientious Objection Day, War Resisters’ International (WRI) organizes solidarity with conscientious objectors (COs) and draws attention to their resistance to war. This year, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, they turned their focus on the resistance of conscientious objectors from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, and published statements from the… Continue reading

Finding Peace in A Constant State of Uncertainty?

sunlight at top left corner, a path in the woods amongst leaves with tall narrow trunks of trees

Uncertainty. Unknowns. Confusion. These aren’t my favorite feelings or states of being. After talking and interacting for nearly four decades with other humans, I feel confident saying a lot of people share my dislike for those feelings. In my experience practicing war tax resistance by filing taxes and refusing to pay or being a non-filer… Continue reading

No War, No Warming: Fund Our Future

WRL pie chart banner, XR patch

In these discouraging times for antiwar activists and humanity at large, it was good to be out marching around with like-minded folks and getting encouraging support from passers-by, including tourists from near and far. War tax resistance is a quarterly, paycheck-to-paycheck or even daily act of resistance to war, depending on your method, but it… Continue reading

The Untouchable Pentagon

The bright red slices of pie on War Resisters League’s new “Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes” flyer have shrunk well below 50% this year. For years we’ve been demanding a budget that prioritizes humanitarian and social needs over military spending. It almost makes us want to celebrate…almost. Biden’s budget proposal for FY 2023… Continue reading

I am a “Symbolic Resister”

Picture of Shirley Whiteside.

Back in December 2021, I wrote a letter to my 2 U.S. Senators—with no expectation—just a need to vent.  I had written to both about U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Rand Paul’s joint resolution that would have stopped the arms sale to Saudi Arabia for use in its war on Yemen. I never expect… Continue reading

Keep it Simple – Stop Killing

In the tragicomedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, the question emerges of when one first learned of death. The two attempt to recall when they first learned of their mortality; how one could hold such a heavy concept. It is difficult to contemplate and understand one’s own death but then to attempt to comprehend what… Continue reading

WAR, ENDLESS WAR

Endless War Skull

I was going to write about something else, but here the world is today facing a dangerous time with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. I am beyond being able to know how it feels for the people in the region, but I know I share a feeling with millions of others of just being sick of… Continue reading