‘Some tax resisters withhold a symbolic amount, but those who willfully refuse to file or pay could face civil or criminal penalties.

Most Americans comply with the tax laws, routinely paying their obligations. But this tax season, an increasingly vocal number say they are struggling to pay their federal income taxes in good conscience.

Eileen O’Farrell Smith, a retired chaplain in Sonoma, Calif., said she saw a budget as a moral document.

“How can I pay taxes when I don’t want to pay for things I abhor, while neglecting things I care about?” asked Ms. Smith, who objects to paying for immigration detention camps and the U.S. war on Iran. “Is there a monetary conscientious objector program?”

Conscientious objection to military service may be legally recognized, but nothing similar exists for tax filers. That hasn’t stopped some people from refusing to pay over the decades — or at least inquiring about their options today…’ (via The New York Times)