Tax dissidents refuse to support military By JOHN GOYER About 40 persons, half calling them- selves "war tax dissidents" celebrated April 16 - the last day to pay 1978 federal taxes - by mailing their tax forms without including the portion of their taxes designated for the national military budget. The dissidents and supporters held their second annual tax day demon- stration, which included songs and a short skit, in front of the downtown Federal building Monday. THE PROTEST ended with the dissidents dropping their tax forms in the mailbox at the North side of the Federal Building. Many of the protesters are members of Ann Arbor War Tax Dissidents (AAWTD), a group formed last year to resist paying taxes for military spen- ding. The group also counsels people who are considering protesting military spending by not paying part of their taxes. Defense spending is the second largest expenditure for the federal government, second only to the budget for the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. "PEOPLE DON'T realize the powder keg we're sitting" on," said Wladislaw Narowski, a member of the AAWTD who took part in Monday's protest. "We just feel that this madness (military spending) has got to stop," he said. Narowski said the IRS audits tax dissidents and almost always gets its money, but war tax dissidents are a "tremendous problem" for the IRS sin- ce forcing people to pay taxes involves stacks of paperwork. But Narowski said even though the government even- tually gets the tax money, "You're making a statement, you're saying, 'my money is not going for war'." "It's not out of frustration (that we protest war taxes), it's out of hope," Narowski said. "The biggest obstacle we face is apathy, it's hopelessness." Narowski said he often finds "people have the very dangerous feeling that it will all blow up some day. They don't really realize what they're saying." NAROWSKI also claimed tax resistance is "in the best American tradition. Our country was founded on resistance to taxes." According to Bruce Graves, another long-time war tax dissident, a public demonstration carries a message to people who otherwise would not have thought of protesting military spen- ding. Graves has been a conscientious ob- jector to paying taxes for military spending since 1967. Although he pays the full amount on his tax return, he also claims a refund for the part that would go to the military. Graves and other members of AAWTD are also supporters of the World Peace Tax Fund Bill, a proposal which would allow taxpayers to in- dicate whether the government can use their money for military spending. Money diverted from military spending would go into the World Peace Tax Fund to provide money for non-military projects. So far, the bill has been introduced twice in Congress and currently has 28 supporters in the House of Represen- tatives and two in the Senate. The Michigan Daly-Friday, April 20, 1979-Page 17 we'e the flo DiO!55 O! Don't think of Big George's as merely an appliance store. We've got everything to make your summer living the most comfortable! And our Fine Photography Department is tops in the Ann Arbor area! Take a look at these fabulous binocular bargains ... sale prices valid through April 30, 1979. 7 X 35 Ensign Binoculars Our most popular binocularl With case, straps, and full 1-year warranty! Limited stock ... $2200 7 X 35 Explorer Binoculars Ultra-wide field! Insta-focus! 5-year warranty! Now only ... $8400 8 X 30 Vacation Binoculars with Kwik-Draw case! Insta-focus! Now only. . $ 8 X 30 Broadview Binoculars Compact! Wide field! 5-yr. warranty! Now only.. . 89 Minolta * POCKET BINOCULARSI 6 X 16 . .. . .. . . . . $9 8 X 20 ...........$'99"0 8 X 24 Wide Angle *119"* 6 to10 X 24 Zoom'179"0 10 X 20 Compact... $84" Big George's Fine Photography Dept. 9 W. STADIUM BLVD. Monday through Friday, 9-9 Saturday, 9-6; Sunday, 12-5 l1, 7ZN~. iNK $o PAR 1o~5~E Everybody Topside The Sperry Topsider is a Genunine handcrafted moccossin, mounted on an anti-slip yachting sole: In Dark Brown Elk dyed cowhide. Narrow and Medium in Men's sizes 6 to 13 and Ladies' sizes 5 to 10. $36.00. -......---..-.--------------------- CLARKS FLORSHEIM WALLABEE * DEXTER FRYE OLOF s DAUGHTER CLOGS * BASS DOWNTOWN MCAMPUS 217 S. Main St. a sts 619 E. Liberty Open Mon. and Fri. Open Friday Nites'til8:30 TWO STORES '617:00