Everyone is against war. But we still have wars. No one wants to see their son, daughter, nephew, niece or neighbor maimed or killed. But they still are. So what good is a peace testimony except as a means of justifying the existence of the Religious Society of Friends? A peace testimony without peace is useless. It's not even a light in the darkness. It might be a candle, but it's an unlit one. If you want peace it's time to light the candle.

I am not a political activist. I am a christian who believes that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. I believe that without the grace of God man is constantly looking out for his own welfare and not his brother's. It is from this background that I propose a political agenda for the Religious Society of Friends to espouse which might actually light the peace testimony candle.

My proposal is a WAR TAX. Since politicians are always willing to raise money on the back of society's sinners, be they smokers or drinkers, what better sin to tax than war? As home to some of the biggest arms manufacturers on the planet, it's time for the US to impose a sin tax on WAR. Let's start with a 10% tax on all revenue derived from weapons of war. Then we can add an additional 10% tax on the income of every employee of a company subject to the war tax. If that doesn't stop wars we will add another 10% and then another until it does. In addition we will subtract an identical percentage from the salaries of all federal government officials, elected or otherwise, holding office more than one year during any time that American servicemen are engaged in war or a police action on foreign soil. Finally we will eliminate capital gains tax treatment for the stock of any company subject to the war tax.

The goal is to remove the profit incentive from any activity related to war. If a war is necessary, then let it be carried out without profit. Profits gained at the expense of the shed blood of servicemen or women and innocent civilians is reprehensible. The only way to convince people to not become part of the war machine is to make it economically unattractive to them. If it's not possible to appeal to their conscience, let's appeal to their pocketbook.

To those who would dismiss this as impractical, I would simply point out that it is better to light one match, than to curse the darkness. Remember, LET'S TAX WAR!!!