War Tax Withholding

Why I'm Withholding My Taxes That Support War This Year

Dear friends,

I've made a big decision this year to withhold the portion of my taxes that go to war. I can no longer support the U.S. military's killing of thousands of innocent civilians and the Pentagon's inability to account for literally trillions of tax dollars.

I've copied below the poignant letter I'm sending the IRS which explains why I'm doing this. I invite you to explore the links I've provided for verification which are quite eye opening. Below the letter are suggestions on how we can join together to make a difference in our world.

With warm wishes for a transformed world,
Fred Burks for the inspiring and educational PEERS websites
Former White House interpreter and whistleblower

My Letter to the IRS

Dear IRS and others concerned about integrity in government,

I am withholding 12% of my taxes this year as I can no longer morally or ethically support the inhumane killing of thousands of innocent civilians by the U.S. military. If another country’s military were to kill American civilians, there would be a huge uproar. Yet our military claims it is necessary to kill civilians, who are listed as “collateral damage” in the war on terror. Besides being a violation of spiritual values, this is clearly turning family and friends of those killed against the United States and creating even more terrorists.

Another reason I am withholding this money is that the amount of corruption in the U.S. military is absolutely inexcusable. Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld stated publicly on Sept. 10, 2001 “we cannot track $2.3 trillion in transactions.” A CNBC/Reuters article dated Aug. 19, 2016 states, “The United States Army’s finances are so jumbled it had to make trillions of dollars of improper accounting adjustments to create an illusion that its books are balanced.”

The fact that the Pentagon has been ordered to get its finances under control for over a decade, yet it has continually failed to do so, suggests a massive level of corruption that I don’t think any American should support.

If our military stops murdering civilians and brings the rampant corruption in its ranks under control, I will gladly pay these taxes. I am putting them in a separate account which I will turn over to the IRS should the killing and corruption stop. If after seven years nothing has changed, I will turn these funds over to organizations which are dedicated to stopping both corruption and the murder of innocents by our military.

I chose the number 12% as according to official government statistics, 15% ($600 billion) of the US budget is spent directly on the military. I am not opposed to having a military, yet I believe 3% of the national budget is more than enough to cover basic defense needs. As you likely know, the term “national security” is being used as a cover for all manner of corruption and political manipulation. It’s time for all caring citizens to join in the call for greater integrity in our military and in all branches of government.

I very much support our tax system, as it is what finances much of our roads, schools, infrastructure, and much more. Yet integrity in finances, as in all matters, is of the highest importance to me. I strongly feel that I would be out of integrity to continue to support the indiscriminate killing and massive corruption in the U.S. military.

I gladly welcome a response and welcome this letter being shared with any who care about the integrity of our country.

With best wishes for ever more humanity and integrity in government,
Frederick Burks
Former language interpreter with the U.S. Department of State and White House
February 1, 2018

P.S. I invite you to explore my work in exposing corruption using reliable, verifiable sources and calling us to work together for the good of us all at www.WantToKnow.info.

Suggestions from Fred: For any interested in exploring what's involved in withholding war taxes, you can find great resources on how best to take action on the websites of the War Resisters League and the National War Tax Resisters Coordinating Committee.

Whether or not you choose to do this, I invite you to consider how else you can make a difference. Have you moved your accounts out of the corrupt big banks into a credit union or local bank? Are you donating to good causes that you support? Are you investing in progressive funds which support transformation in our world? Are you playing the role that you came here to do?

When each of us chooses to take concrete actions to make a difference in our world, I have no doubt our collective efforts help to build a brighter future for us all. Thanks for caring.

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