""I was thinking, well, it's a little inconsistent for me to refuse induction, refuse to go into the military, yet pay taxes that would fund other people to go into the military," the 81-year-old told Fortune."
"Tax resistance has a long history in the United States, going back to the Boston Tea Party. During the Vietnam War, an estimated 200,000 Americans refused to pay a 10% telephone tax that directly funded the war."
"The war in Gaza was a 'watershed moment,' said Lincoln Rice, national coordinator at the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC), which provides guidance on conscientious tax objection."
"Before Oct. 7, NWTRCC hosted a couple of Zoom workshops a year for 20 to 25 attendees. During the last few tax seasons, the organization has offered sessions every other week."
Ed Hedemann has not paid federal income taxes since 1970, refusing to fund the military due to his anti-war beliefs. He estimates withholding around $85,000 over the years. A rise in war tax resistance has been noted, particularly since the Trump administration, with many Americans viewing tax payments as complicity in government actions. The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee has seen increased participation, especially after significant events like the war in Gaza, indicating a resurgence in tax resistance movements.
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