The Catholic Worker movement has always insisted that tax money should be spent only for human needs and never for war,weapons and other wasteful and harmful enterprises. We refuse to pay for war and other violent means to accomplish our goals. We believe that God does not want us to use our resources to destroy other people; and, in the process, destroy ourselves. According to the War Resisters League, 45% of income taxes goes to the military to pay for recruiting and training our young to do the opposite of God’s will to love our enemies, and do good to the persecutors, to produce more and more weapons, including nuclear weapons; which, if ever used, would destroy the entire world. The huge military budget of $782 billion includes $179 billion for veterans benefits, and interest on military spending is $339 billion, which is never included in the government; figures on military spending. If there had been no military spending most (if not all) of the national debt would have been eliminated. The military has a nuclear weapons budget of $348 billion or $95 million a day. If the money instead was used to help others rather than destroy them we would have more happiness and peace. Most economists say that we could eliminate poverty in the world if only we used our resources to eliminate poverty rather than create it. People need to read Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins, an ex-CIA agent, to fully understand why we spend so much on starting wars. Another good book is The Sorrows of Empire by Chalmers Johnson, who shows that the military cannot account for trillions of dollars of taxpayer money. It is estimated that $45 billion in U.S. tax dollars in Afghanistan alone cannot be accounted for, and auditors claim the Pentagon purposely flawed the accounting practices. (CLG, 4/7/15) Instead of convicting the military officials of theft or misuse of tax money, Americans are called upon to constantly praise these people as heroes and demand that the U.S. taxpayers give them more privileges, tax breaks, free health care, free education, reduced pricing on housing, more exclusive gulf courses (They have only 120 of them), more bases (They have some 1,000 of them in the world) , etc. They are honored as “volunteers”, but they are paid employees of the government. I would never be so bold and selfish as to pay someone to kill others so that I may be safe. Many who call themselves Christians believe it is God’s will to kill those considered enemies by the government. Did Jesus die for nothing? Did we not learn anything from Christ’s suffering and death? It is no wonder that we always have wars. As long as Americans continue to pay for wars, there will be wars. Catholic Workers know this, and that is why they do not pay federal taxes. We cannot stop wars if we continue to pay for them. As former Secretary of State Alexander Haig said, “Let them march all they want, just as long as they pay their taxes. ----Don Timmerman
“If Jesus had suffered and died killing His enemies, using some justified violence theory as His rationale for responding to lethal enemies in this manner, would there be a Resurrection? Not sacrifice, but love, brings salvation.” ----Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
JOKES
A trooper in Georgia pulled over a driver and asked, “Got any I.D.?” The driver responded, “Bout what?” I work out religiously….at Christmas and Easter!
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly, It sank, proving once again that you can’t have your kayak and heat it too. That canoe gives me nothing but trouble. It should be called a woe boat.
Recently, the oldest person died at the age of 117. That moves me up to number 7.
Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils? Bathmats: small rugs children like to stand next to.
The police were called to a day care where a 3 year old was resisting a rest. Patient: I’m worried about this birthmark. Doctor: Birthmark, you say. How long have you had it?
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He is all right now.
The batteries were given free of charge.
A dentist and a manicurist married, and fought tooth and nail.
A nurse handed a patient a urine specimen bottle and pointed to the bathroom. After a little while, he came back handing the empty bottle back to the nurse saying: “I didn’t need it cause there was a toilet in there.”
INTERESTING REPORTS
MAY 1 ----MAY DAY SOLIDARITY MARCH starting at 11 a.m. at 1027 S. 5th St., Milwaukee WI to seek fair immigration policies, freedom to organize in the workplace, a living wage, and justice for all immigrants.
MAY 1-3 -----NATIONAL WAR TAX RESISTANCE COORDINATING COMMITTEE CONFERENCE hosted by Milwaukee War Tax Resistance, Casa Maria Catholic Worker, and Madison Area WTR Alternative Fund. Sessions will be held at or near Casa Maria House, 1131 North 21st Street, Milwaukee 53233. 414-344-5745.The gathering officially begins with dinner on Friday at Casa Maria House. The early arrivals may visit the Catholic Worker Archives at Marquette U Memorial Library. Phil Runkel is the archivist. Thanks.
THURSDAY, MAY 7 ----STOP DEPORTATIONS AND SEPARATION OF FAMILIES PRAYER SERVICE at ISE Office Bldg, Broadway & Knapp Sts., starting at Noon
THURSDAY, MAY 14 ------STOP TEACHING WAR in CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS at Marquette U., 12th & Wisconsin Ave., from Noon to 1 p.m. Christ told us to love our enemies, not to study how to get rid of them. Close the R.O.T.C. on campus,.
THURSDAY, MAY 21 ------STOP SELLING WEAPONS OF DEATH vigil at Brew City Shooters Supply, 43rd & Lincoln, Milw. from Noon to 1 p.m. Few Americans realize how many billions of dollars are spent by doctors, hospitals, police and emergency units that goes with treating a victim of gun violence, not to mention the resources used for those who do not survive. Billions more are spent for hospitalization, maintenance and eventual death followed by funerals, burials, and sometimes family assistance In a country that allows guns to proliferate.
NOTICE:
DURING THE MONTH OF MAY CASA MARIA WILL BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS AND CLEANING AND WILL OPEN AGAIN JUNE 1. THANKS FOR HELPING!
This past week was busy. April 15, Tax Day, the Casa Maria community did our annual protest against tax money spent for the military and war instead of on human needs. We held up banners over the expressway. Later in the afternoon we joined a rally at U.W.M. asking for a minimum living wage of $15 an hour for workers. On Thursday, we held our monthly anti-gun protest at a local gun shop. Saturday, we joined Peace Action for the weekly Stand for Peace in the world. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my meager attempts to speak out on major problems in our world. As I was thinking about this at the anti-gun protest, a woman pulled up in her car to thank us for speaking out. She joined us for a short while and then asked if she could keep the sign she was holding. She said she lived near Miller Park where the Brewers play baseball, and she wanted to place it in the hard for all to see. Written on the sign was “The N.R.A. has blood on their hands! Support gun control .” The woman had serious health issues but was so happy when I gave her the sign to take home. She was so upset about the violence in Milwaukee and around the world, and she wanted to do something. Perhaps that to speak out, to be the cog to slow down the wheel of an unjust system has to be enough.
Peace, Roberta
“If Jesus had suffered and died killing His enemies, using some justified violence theory as His rationale for responding to lethal enemies in this manner, would there be a Resurrection? Not sacrifice, but love, brings salvation.” ----Emmanuel Charles McCarthy
JOKES
A trooper in Georgia pulled over a driver and asked, “Got any I.D.?” The driver responded, “Bout what?” I work out religiously….at Christmas and Easter!
Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly so they lit a fire in the craft. Unsurprisingly, It sank, proving once again that you can’t have your kayak and heat it too. That canoe gives me nothing but trouble. It should be called a woe boat.
Recently, the oldest person died at the age of 117. That moves me up to number 7.
Did you hear about the cross-eyed teacher who lost her job because she couldn’t control her pupils? Bathmats: small rugs children like to stand next to.
The police were called to a day care where a 3 year old was resisting a rest. Patient: I’m worried about this birthmark. Doctor: Birthmark, you say. How long have you had it?
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He is all right now.
The batteries were given free of charge.
A dentist and a manicurist married, and fought tooth and nail.
A nurse handed a patient a urine specimen bottle and pointed to the bathroom. After a little while, he came back handing the empty bottle back to the nurse saying: “I didn’t need it cause there was a toilet in there.”
INTERESTING REPORTS
- Since 1903, U.S. taxpayers have been paying Cuba rent for the Guantanamo Bay prison. Presently, they are paying Cuba $4,085 a month. However, Cuba is not cashing the monthly checks any longer since it does not want the U.S. prison there. -----Time, 4/6/15 If one--quarter of the money spent on invading Iraq was spent instead on fixing Social Security it would have been solvent for the next 75 years. ------Coffee Party Movement
- The Obama administration approved $30 billion more in arms sales in its first 5 years than the Bush administration did in its full 8 years. ----Democracy Now
- The sprawling U.S. military base in Ramstein, Germany, one of the biggest in the world, is at the heart of America’s drone program. It is the site of satellite relay stations that enable drone operators in the American Southwest to communicate with their remote aircraft in Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan and other targeted countries. This facilitates the strikes with Predator and Reaper drones. ---RSN, 4/18/15
- The Justice Department estimated that taxpayers spend an average of $31,266 per inmate per year. ----The Price of Prisons:What incarceration Costs Taxpayers, p.9
- ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Shell, chevron and BP had combined profits of $90 billion last year while they “sucked down $5 billion in subsidies from U.S. taxpayers. ----Newsmax, 4/14/15
- U.S. troops are carrying out almost 2 operations, exercises or activities from drone strikes to counterinsurgency instruction, intelligence gathering to marksmanship training somewhere in Africa every day. -----AlterNet, 4/14/15
- A man killed himself holding “Tax the 1%” in front of the Capitol in Washington D.C. All the media stated was that he was carrying a sign, but it did not state what the sign said. ----AlterNet, 4/14/15
- Nestle continues to bottle water in California despite the drought. It sends the precious water out of California at a time when people must cut back on the use of water. ----Salon, 4/13/15
- An estimated 31% of available food in the U.S. goes uneaten. That is $161 billion worth of groceries. Over 96% of tossed out food ends up in landfills, where it breaks down and emits methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. In 2012, U.S. individuals and businesses put nearly 35 tons of once perfectly good food in the garbage. ----Salon, 4/13/15
- The recent TTP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) treaty will allow corporations to take advantage of countries for profits. Corporations would not be obligated to follow environmental laws and other laws of a country in which they are working. Other provisions would allow multinational corporations to sue governments in foreign courts that are staffed by corporate lawyers when governmental regulations cut into corporate profit. -----Credo
- The FBI is whitewashing the Saudi connection to 9/11. Just 15 days before the 9/11 attacks, a well-connected Saudi family suddenly abandoned their luxury home in Florida, leaving behind jewelry, clothing, opulent furniture, a driveway full of cars and even a fridge filled with food. A 14-member group in Congress is urging President Obama to declassify 28 pages of the final report of his inquiry AlterNet, 4/12/15
- Americans who make more than $118,500 a year are exempt from paying Social Security tax. Also, people can deduct from their taxes any losses in gambling. ----Washington Post, 4/11/15
- Every 3 days there is an exoneration of a prisoner in this country. More than 4% of those sentenced to die are innocent. Nearly half, 47% , of those exonerated were African American. Ricky Jackson spent 39 years in prison before he was finally found innocent and was exonerated. -----AlterNet, 4/10/15
- Papua, New Guinea, with a population of 4 million people, speaks over 800 different languages. It is estimated that there are about 6,900 languages in the world. ----The Coffee News
MAY 1 ----MAY DAY SOLIDARITY MARCH starting at 11 a.m. at 1027 S. 5th St., Milwaukee WI to seek fair immigration policies, freedom to organize in the workplace, a living wage, and justice for all immigrants.
MAY 1-3 -----NATIONAL WAR TAX RESISTANCE COORDINATING COMMITTEE CONFERENCE hosted by Milwaukee War Tax Resistance, Casa Maria Catholic Worker, and Madison Area WTR Alternative Fund. Sessions will be held at or near Casa Maria House, 1131 North 21st Street, Milwaukee 53233. 414-344-5745.The gathering officially begins with dinner on Friday at Casa Maria House. The early arrivals may visit the Catholic Worker Archives at Marquette U Memorial Library. Phil Runkel is the archivist. Thanks.
THURSDAY, MAY 7 ----STOP DEPORTATIONS AND SEPARATION OF FAMILIES PRAYER SERVICE at ISE Office Bldg, Broadway & Knapp Sts., starting at Noon
THURSDAY, MAY 14 ------STOP TEACHING WAR in CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS at Marquette U., 12th & Wisconsin Ave., from Noon to 1 p.m. Christ told us to love our enemies, not to study how to get rid of them. Close the R.O.T.C. on campus,.
THURSDAY, MAY 21 ------STOP SELLING WEAPONS OF DEATH vigil at Brew City Shooters Supply, 43rd & Lincoln, Milw. from Noon to 1 p.m. Few Americans realize how many billions of dollars are spent by doctors, hospitals, police and emergency units that goes with treating a victim of gun violence, not to mention the resources used for those who do not survive. Billions more are spent for hospitalization, maintenance and eventual death followed by funerals, burials, and sometimes family assistance In a country that allows guns to proliferate.
NOTICE:
DURING THE MONTH OF MAY CASA MARIA WILL BE CLOSED FOR REPAIRS AND CLEANING AND WILL OPEN AGAIN JUNE 1. THANKS FOR HELPING!
This past week was busy. April 15, Tax Day, the Casa Maria community did our annual protest against tax money spent for the military and war instead of on human needs. We held up banners over the expressway. Later in the afternoon we joined a rally at U.W.M. asking for a minimum living wage of $15 an hour for workers. On Thursday, we held our monthly anti-gun protest at a local gun shop. Saturday, we joined Peace Action for the weekly Stand for Peace in the world. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed by my meager attempts to speak out on major problems in our world. As I was thinking about this at the anti-gun protest, a woman pulled up in her car to thank us for speaking out. She joined us for a short while and then asked if she could keep the sign she was holding. She said she lived near Miller Park where the Brewers play baseball, and she wanted to place it in the hard for all to see. Written on the sign was “The N.R.A. has blood on their hands! Support gun control .” The woman had serious health issues but was so happy when I gave her the sign to take home. She was so upset about the violence in Milwaukee and around the world, and she wanted to do something. Perhaps that to speak out, to be the cog to slow down the wheel of an unjust system has to be enough.
Peace, Roberta