The summer of 2020, an extremely hot, dry one, was precipitated by decades of drought caused by rising world temperatures. The result was massive, sobering destruction in rural Oregon and our beautiful forests. And what might be the world’s largest emitter of CO2 and therefore the largest driver of climate change? The U.S. military.

Though firefighters worked bravely to put out fires, a bloated military budget funneled off tax money that could have been better spent to hire more firefighters.

Federal and state funds to help people rebuild or relocate are stretched thin. Wouldn’t funds to help all people have a home be a better use of our tax dollars than more funds to the military?

Due to the climate catastrophe we again did not get enough rain and snow this winter, and so far this spring we have had very little rain. I worry when fire season will start this year and how much more of Oregon will be destroyed. I have been a war tax resister since the 1970s since I do not want my money supporting murder. The money I resist to the military I give to local groups that actually help people and the environment. Now I am also a war tax resister because I don’t want my money supporting the biggest contributor to the burning of our planet: the U.S. military.

Sue Barnhart

Eugene

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