Are you upset with the U.S. giving tax money to those who make weapons for war and oppression? The National War Tax Resister Coordinating Committee (nwtrcc.org) now is on TikTok (click here to view some of the videos). Lincoln Rice and others have done a great job explaining tax resistance and how people are doing tax resistance and how others can stop paying for war and weapons and give their money instead to groups that are helping the poor and oppressed. Don and Roberta, who have refused to pay war taxes for 40 years, learned war tax resistance from Karl Meyer, a long-time Catholic Worker who now lives on a farm in Tennessee called Nashville Greenlands. Karl spent a year in jail for his refusal to pay for war. Don has had his wages from work taken by the IRS for failing to file for several years. He gave the money he earned to Casa Maria instead of giving it to the IRS. Sometimes there are consequences for doing good.
DON’S JOKES
How many spoiled brats does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. He holds it in the socket and waits for the world to revolve around him. No matter how much you push, the envelope will still be stationery. Chasing your dreams does not count as exercise. A bird in the hand makes blowing your nose more difficult. If you dream in color, is it a pigment of your imagination? What do you get when you cross a flock of sheep with a radiator? Central bleating. A driver appeared in court charged with parking in a restricted area. The driver told the judge that he was in the right since the sign on the street said, “Fine for parking here.” A man with a gun can rob a bank, but a man with a bank can rob everyone. Did you ever wonder what the cured ham had? Or how the sign “Stay off the grass got there”? How do you know if a word in the dictionary is misspelled? Judge: “Where do you work?’ Man: “Here and there.” Judge: “What do you do for a living?” Man: “this and that.” Judge: “Take him away!” Man: “Wait a minute. When will I be let go?” Judge: “Sooner or later.”
INTERESTING FACTS
President Biden is facing increasing pressure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. But instead, the White House is rushing more arms to Israel. Bloomberg is reporting the U.S. has quietly sent Israel more laser-guided missiles for Apache gunships, as well as new army vehicles, bunker-buster munitions and more ammunition. Meanwhile, protests are continuing across the United States calling for a ceasefire. In California, police arrested at least 81 protesters after they blocked traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for several hours. In Boston, protesters shut down the Boston University Bridge.
Over 900,000 Tibetan children have been separated from their families. Tibetan-language schools across Tibet have been torn down. Teachers are also being arrested and imprisoned.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says all hospitals in northern Gaza are now out of service amid repeated assaults by Israeli forces on medical centers. ---Democracy Now
Thirty Arizona activists demonstrated for a nuclear-free future at Tucson's Raytheon plan on November 26th, the Global Day of Action Against Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in NYC. Raytheon has a multi-billion dollar contract from the Pentagon to develop and produce an all-new nuclear-armed cruise missile.
By the end of the Cold War, there were 1,600 military bases in 40 countries and colonies. Today, the number of military bases varies from time to time.
Amazon and Google’s collaboration with Israeli apartheid is part of a larger pattern of Big Tech fueling state violence across the globe. Tech companies like Amazon and Google are the new war profiteers and have dismal human rights records. Amazon helps power ICE’s deportation-detention machine, and partners with over 2,000 U.S. police departments to surveil and criminalize Black and brown communities through its doorbell camera Ring. Meanwhile, Google sold artificial intelligence to the Department of Defense to make its drone strikes deadlier and, despite ending this contract after public and worker pressure, Google still holds ties with the Pentagon.
John Trudell, a member activist of the American Indian Movement, used to say the FBI stood for the “Federal Bureau of Intimidation.” Work for the release of Leonard Peltier and Julian Assange.
Brother Outsider is a good film on the life of John Ruskin. Rustin was born in 1912 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, the grandson of Quakers who raised him. He became a pacifist and nonviolent agitator for social justice. One of his heroes was Gandhi. Like other Black radicals in the 1930s, he briefly joined the Communist Party, which was one of the very few institutions of that era that was serious about racial justice. It’s a little hard to find to stream, but you can rent it on Vimeo for $2.99. (or borrow it from the Milwaukee Public Library by clicking here) ---Portside
Percentage of college students who believe that violence can be a justified response to hate speech: 45% Percentage who say there is too little attention paid to the important issues facing the country: 78% —Harper’s Index
“If Christians practiced what they preach and did what Christ did and taught we would have peace on earth. Christ taught love of enemies, forgiveness of all people, doing good to those who have wronged us and praying for all. We have wars and rumors of war because we have refused to follow Christ and His message. Instead we continue to waste our resources on weapons, war, training our young to destroy others with weapons and war and then restoring what was destroyed by war and weapons. All religions basically teach this same thing, but greed and revenge get in the way. Hamas is not all the Palestinians, and Netenyahu is not all the people of Israel. The Palestinians and Israelis are victims of those who rule over them. We all will die. We do not want to die by trying to kill others. We would rather die trying to help our human race to survive. Peace on earth and good will to all." ----Don Timmerman
Black and Pink Milwaukee is asking for financial help so they can keep supporting LGBTQ+ prisoners. Donations can be sent to PO BOX 12244, Milwaukee, WI, United States, 53212 or donate online by clicking here.
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Wed. Dec. 13 ---Anti ROTC Vigil from Noon to 1 p.m. in front of Marquette U Library. We ask Marquette to stop training our young how to kill the enemy rather than doing good to the enemy.
Tues. Dec. 19 -- CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER TO END RACISM 11:30am-1pm at St. Bakhita Catholic Worker 3138 N. 2nd Street
Wed. Dec. 20 --- Anti Gun Vigil from Noon to 1 p.m. at Dunham Sports store, 2027 S. 108th St. Dunham advertises and sells guns and assault rifles.
Mon. Dec. 25 ---Birthday of Jesus Christ.
Every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. join the picket outside Chase/Wells Fargo due to their high investments in fossil fuels and to stand for climate justice. Click here for locations.
Every Saturday there is a Stand for Peace starting at noon. Click here for locations.
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Last Saturday I was attending our weekly Stand for Peace vigil. We were at the corner of Water St. and Saint Paul Street in Milwaukee. A women approached me as I was holding a sign saying, “War is not the answer”. She told me she was Ukrainian and others in her family were Russian, plus other cultures. She said they all had gathered for Thanksgiving. I said, “How wonderful! That is what we all need to do to bring about a peaceful world”. As she walked away to catch a bus, she said, “Oh no, one group stayed in the kitchen, another group were in the living room, others were in a different area of the house.” December is the month in which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace. Walls of hostility and mistrust have to be replaced with dialogue, trust and respect. As we open our hearts to hear and respond to the cries of our brothers and sisters around the world, we then will be celebrating the birth of Christ. Peace, Roberta
DON’S JOKES
How many spoiled brats does it take to change a lightbulb? Just one. He holds it in the socket and waits for the world to revolve around him. No matter how much you push, the envelope will still be stationery. Chasing your dreams does not count as exercise. A bird in the hand makes blowing your nose more difficult. If you dream in color, is it a pigment of your imagination? What do you get when you cross a flock of sheep with a radiator? Central bleating. A driver appeared in court charged with parking in a restricted area. The driver told the judge that he was in the right since the sign on the street said, “Fine for parking here.” A man with a gun can rob a bank, but a man with a bank can rob everyone. Did you ever wonder what the cured ham had? Or how the sign “Stay off the grass got there”? How do you know if a word in the dictionary is misspelled? Judge: “Where do you work?’ Man: “Here and there.” Judge: “What do you do for a living?” Man: “this and that.” Judge: “Take him away!” Man: “Wait a minute. When will I be let go?” Judge: “Sooner or later.”
INTERESTING FACTS
President Biden is facing increasing pressure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. But instead, the White House is rushing more arms to Israel. Bloomberg is reporting the U.S. has quietly sent Israel more laser-guided missiles for Apache gunships, as well as new army vehicles, bunker-buster munitions and more ammunition. Meanwhile, protests are continuing across the United States calling for a ceasefire. In California, police arrested at least 81 protesters after they blocked traffic on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for several hours. In Boston, protesters shut down the Boston University Bridge.
Over 900,000 Tibetan children have been separated from their families. Tibetan-language schools across Tibet have been torn down. Teachers are also being arrested and imprisoned.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says all hospitals in northern Gaza are now out of service amid repeated assaults by Israeli forces on medical centers. ---Democracy Now
Thirty Arizona activists demonstrated for a nuclear-free future at Tucson's Raytheon plan on November 26th, the Global Day of Action Against Nuclear Weapons at the United Nations in NYC. Raytheon has a multi-billion dollar contract from the Pentagon to develop and produce an all-new nuclear-armed cruise missile.
By the end of the Cold War, there were 1,600 military bases in 40 countries and colonies. Today, the number of military bases varies from time to time.
Amazon and Google’s collaboration with Israeli apartheid is part of a larger pattern of Big Tech fueling state violence across the globe. Tech companies like Amazon and Google are the new war profiteers and have dismal human rights records. Amazon helps power ICE’s deportation-detention machine, and partners with over 2,000 U.S. police departments to surveil and criminalize Black and brown communities through its doorbell camera Ring. Meanwhile, Google sold artificial intelligence to the Department of Defense to make its drone strikes deadlier and, despite ending this contract after public and worker pressure, Google still holds ties with the Pentagon.
John Trudell, a member activist of the American Indian Movement, used to say the FBI stood for the “Federal Bureau of Intimidation.” Work for the release of Leonard Peltier and Julian Assange.
Brother Outsider is a good film on the life of John Ruskin. Rustin was born in 1912 in West Chester, Pennsylvania, the grandson of Quakers who raised him. He became a pacifist and nonviolent agitator for social justice. One of his heroes was Gandhi. Like other Black radicals in the 1930s, he briefly joined the Communist Party, which was one of the very few institutions of that era that was serious about racial justice. It’s a little hard to find to stream, but you can rent it on Vimeo for $2.99. (or borrow it from the Milwaukee Public Library by clicking here) ---Portside
Percentage of college students who believe that violence can be a justified response to hate speech: 45% Percentage who say there is too little attention paid to the important issues facing the country: 78% —Harper’s Index
“If Christians practiced what they preach and did what Christ did and taught we would have peace on earth. Christ taught love of enemies, forgiveness of all people, doing good to those who have wronged us and praying for all. We have wars and rumors of war because we have refused to follow Christ and His message. Instead we continue to waste our resources on weapons, war, training our young to destroy others with weapons and war and then restoring what was destroyed by war and weapons. All religions basically teach this same thing, but greed and revenge get in the way. Hamas is not all the Palestinians, and Netenyahu is not all the people of Israel. The Palestinians and Israelis are victims of those who rule over them. We all will die. We do not want to die by trying to kill others. We would rather die trying to help our human race to survive. Peace on earth and good will to all." ----Don Timmerman
Black and Pink Milwaukee is asking for financial help so they can keep supporting LGBTQ+ prisoners. Donations can be sent to PO BOX 12244, Milwaukee, WI, United States, 53212 or donate online by clicking here.
++++++++++
Wed. Dec. 13 ---Anti ROTC Vigil from Noon to 1 p.m. in front of Marquette U Library. We ask Marquette to stop training our young how to kill the enemy rather than doing good to the enemy.
Tues. Dec. 19 -- CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER TO END RACISM 11:30am-1pm at St. Bakhita Catholic Worker 3138 N. 2nd Street
Wed. Dec. 20 --- Anti Gun Vigil from Noon to 1 p.m. at Dunham Sports store, 2027 S. 108th St. Dunham advertises and sells guns and assault rifles.
Mon. Dec. 25 ---Birthday of Jesus Christ.
Every Friday from noon to 1 p.m. join the picket outside Chase/Wells Fargo due to their high investments in fossil fuels and to stand for climate justice. Click here for locations.
Every Saturday there is a Stand for Peace starting at noon. Click here for locations.
NOTES FROM 21ST STREET: Last Saturday I was attending our weekly Stand for Peace vigil. We were at the corner of Water St. and Saint Paul Street in Milwaukee. A women approached me as I was holding a sign saying, “War is not the answer”. She told me she was Ukrainian and others in her family were Russian, plus other cultures. She said they all had gathered for Thanksgiving. I said, “How wonderful! That is what we all need to do to bring about a peaceful world”. As she walked away to catch a bus, she said, “Oh no, one group stayed in the kitchen, another group were in the living room, others were in a different area of the house.” December is the month in which Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Jesus is referred to as the Prince of Peace. Walls of hostility and mistrust have to be replaced with dialogue, trust and respect. As we open our hearts to hear and respond to the cries of our brothers and sisters around the world, we then will be celebrating the birth of Christ. Peace, Roberta