Margaret Katranides

| Letters

Dear People:

You state that I have unpaid taxes for 2013 in the amount of $253.12.  As I have explained many times before, I do not pay taxes to support war or preparation for war.  The amount you cite is the portion of my calculated taxes which I redirected to peaceful enterprises.

I am a conscientious objector to all forms of war.  This is a spiritual directive which I am following, and I can not in good conscience send you any money which would be used for training, arming or sending military forces to participate in war.  Instead, I calculate my taxes by your rules, then subtract an amount proportional to the part of the U.S. budget which is used to support military activities.  That money is sent to any of various organizations whose work is to prevent war and other kinds of violence.

My leading to resist paying war taxes has been verified and acknowledged by my faith community, the St. Louis Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).

Sincerely,
Margaret Katranides
St. Louis, MO