National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee

May 2007 Coordinating Committee Meeting

Nominees for Administrative Committee

The May meeting will select 2 new members for NWTRCC's Administrative Committee (AdComm). We need 2 alternates (1 year as alternate plus 2 years as full member).

Each nominee responds to a questionnaire, and their replies are below. The first one indicates the essence of the questions asked. We seek as much diversity as possible on the AdComm - by gender, geography, ethnic background, etc.

Current members are Susan Balzer* (KS), Daniel Woodham* (NC), Alice Liu (CA), Clark Hanjian (MA). Alternates are Robert Randall (GA) and Pam Allee (OR).

Current alternates become full members and new members' terms begin after the May meeting

*These members complete their terms in May 2006.

Mike Butler, Gallop, NM

1)What interests me about participating on the AdCom? I just think its time I got involved in a huge way and I believe that tax resistance in general is where its at. People need to stop paying for terrorism and obviously congress will not cut off funding so we must.

2) What perspectives, skills or interests could I bring? The radical youth perspective, with some campaign organizing experience.

3)What would I like to get from participating in the AdCom? Experience, and friends.

4) Please give a brief history of your conscientious objection to war taxes. I have never made enough to pay taxes. And if I did I would give all that money away to peace.

5) Other Peace & Justice involvements: I am a Wobbly IU 660, also involved in: Pax Christi New Mexico, Coalition of Immokalee Workers, New Mexico Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty, Gallup Committee to increase the Minimum Wage, Nevada Desert Experience, Trinity House Catholic Worker, Peace and Freedom Party, New Mexico Green Party, Stopthewarmachine.org, and I also ran for city council in Gallup, New Mexico.(mikebutler.info click on the portrait)

6) Vocation and Home life: My vocation for at least the next 10 years is to be poor and work for peace and justice.

7) Anything else? I have been involved in a lot of organizations, political campaigns, and movements, but I don't think that any of those are as important as resisting to pay taxes for war. I think what needs to happen is huge coalition building to set the ground work for a popular war tax resistance movement to end this war and effectively shut down the war machine permanently.

Donald Kaufman - Newton, KS

1)What interests me about participating on the AdCom? War taxes are a very serious violation of civil rights under any government which claims to be democratic and respectful of religious freedom. Redirecting those funds is crucial if we are to be citizens of integrity. The Administrative Committee consists of people who are dedicated to taking risks for peace and justice. It would be a pleasure to know them and for me to learn how to be less cautious.

2) What perspectives, skills or interests could I bring? I have been keenly interested in social issues since high school days. I would bring an Anabaptist understanding of Christian faith with plenty of questions about the viability or relevance of religion. I am detail oriented with modest speaking skills. I have done serious Bible studies and researched war and tax issues.

3)What would I like to get from participating in the AdCom? More infomation and continued learnings on effective strategies for peacemaking. Building a sense of community and solidarity with people beyond Kansas.

4) Please give a brief history of your conscientious objection to war taxes. My parents were devout practioneers of Mennonite faith. During WW I my father tried unsuccessfully to remove his brother from the clutches of the army. As a student I was active in peace clubs for 8 years. At Bethel College (KS) professor Bennie Bargen made me more aware of the relevance of money if one is to be an objector to war. This was reinforced by The Peacemaker to which I subsribed. Eleanor and I first protested the IRS tax payment for the year 1958 and then researched the issue during 7 years of MCC service in Indonesia. During my 4th year of seminary I wrote a hundred page term paper which became in 1969 the book, What Belongs to Caesar? In the past year that book and the enhanced Tax Dilemma: were reprinted by Wipf and Stock Publishers of Eugene, OR.

5) Other Peace & Justice involvements: As a generalist I have opposed the use of tobacco and worked to eliminate capital punishment. During the 50s I campaigned against the introduction of Universal Military Training.

6) Vocation and Home life: After administrative work overseas I sent 6 years in pastoral ministry in Minnesota. This was interspersed with printing press, house insulation, and 4 Qtrs. of clinical pastoral education (CPE). Eleanor and I were married in 1958. We have three adult children and one grandchild. We have hosted many people over the years. Eleanor was an organist and piano instructor for 30 years; I as an E.D. for public housing for 17 years.

7) Anything else? Living below a taxable level federally has become a stress point for my spouse relationship. Eleanor feels that my expectations are unrealistic and impose wrongly on her freedom to travel and make purchases. So how does one maintain integrity in doing what is right? So far we have been sustained by an amazingly large community of love.