On April 04, 2004, my oldest
son, Casey Sheehan, was killed in Iraq and my heart and life were shattered.
We always disagreed with
George Bush and opposed the US’s entries into Afghanistan and then Iraq, but on
May 1, 2005, the Downing Street Minutes were discovered about a meeting held at
Number 10 Downing Street on July 23, 2002 between Tony Blair and a member of
the Foreign Service who had met in Washington DC with then National Security
Advisor Condileeza Rice.
The minutes explicitly stated
that there was no intelligence indicating an immediate need to invade Iraq, but
the invasion, at that point was, “a foregone conclusion.”
In todays fast food, instant
message culture, all of this may seem like ancient history, but to the
one-million plus people who have been slaughtered for lies, imperial conquest
and this government’s lust for and devotion to war, and all the ones that their
unnecessary death left behind, the pain will always be fresh.
The US government took
something invaluable precious and priceless from me and the murder has not
abated with a new administration and not one person who is responsible for the
mayhem has been prosecuted.
I will refuse to pay my
income taxes until the time, and I hope it’s soon, that our money is used to
fully fund a national health care system; free and fully funded education;
housing for all; and a more equitable distribution of wealth—and not used for
these unending wars.
Some people ask me if I pay
my state taxes, and the answer is: not while my state sends billions of dollars
to the federal government for its war OF terror while slashing education and
other essential social services.
Although my protest is not
against, nor is my beef with the IRS, I know for sure that the IRS is used to
prosecute political enemies of the state and as I am one of the most outspoken
critics of US foreign policy, I believe this is happening to me as this nation
is now embarking on further oppressive measures against dissent and I will not
cooperate with my own persecution.
Thank you.
I support your actions. You're right not to pay taxes in defiance of the war machine, but what you propose taxes should be used for would create something much much more evil. A government that provides all can take all. The point you're missing is that taxation is theft. Or maybe you get this, and think it's ok just so long as the stolen money is being spent on things you want. By doing this you're adopting the attitude of the government that you oppose.
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