Don Timmeran: The Sparrow Sings March 2009

Wally Nelson, a long-time war tax resister, once said, "What would you do if someone came to your door with a cup in hand asking for a contribution to help buy guns to kill a group of people they didn't like?" Yet millions of Americans do this each year by allowing the government to take their hard-earned money and give it to the military to kill those whom the government does not like. In fact, this year they will give 54% of each tax dollar or $1,449 billion to the military. (War Resisters League) Only 46% of each dollar will go toward education, health, the environment, housing, general government funds, etc.

The U.S. accounts for 48% of the world's total military spending, more than the next 45 countries combined, and is the number one exporter of weapons to countries that use these to kill or maim their own citizens. Israel, which for the last 37 yrs. has occupied the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem and has committed numerous human rights violations toward the Palestinians; is the number one receiver of these weapons. More U.S. aid goes to Israel than any other country, even though Israel's per capita income is as high as many in European countries. In fiscal year 2003 Israel received a foreign military financing grant of $3.1 billion and a $600 million grant for economic security in addition to $11 billion in commercial loan guarantees. The recent budget request includes $2.775 billion in military aid for Israel.

In the past 8 years the U.S. military spending more than doubled from $333 billion to a staggering $700 billion when the cost of war is added. The U.S. continues to spend $12 billion a month in Iraq and will probably end up spending the same in Afghanistan since the President has decided to send 17,000 more troops there. Only 0.15% of the U.S. GNP goes toward assisting the most needy in the world. Americans on average give 15 cents a day in gov. assistance to the world's poor while they spend an average of 60 cents a day on soft drinks and $1,000 on the military.

Roberta and I cannot, in conscience, give any money to the military because it causes wars, suffering, torture, bloodshed, disease, pollution, destruction of property and crops, mutilation, waste and impoverishment throughout the world. For this reason we continue to live below the taxable poverty level. If we have any extra money it goes to those who lack the basics of life. It is estimated that as many as 24,000 people in the world die each day because they do not have the means to survive. Also, the 3% federal excise tax you pay on your phone bill also goes the military. Would it not be better to use that 3% instead in assisting those lacking health care in the U.S. and the world?

As long as Americans voluntarily hand over their money to the government to be used for the military they will be controlled by the military and suffer a lack of their basic needs. Change will come when Americans decide not to cooperate with what Dorothy Day once described as "a dirty rotten system." When the cup is passed again for a contribution to buy weapons and train our young to kill please explain that you have better ways of using your money. It is time to say NO to the sacred cow, the U.S. military, and say YES to the often neglected poor and destitute!

---Don Timmerman don2roberta@yahoo.com