The following few lines can only provide pointers towards what was a very rich and enjoyable session, in which the sixteen participants could explore their recollections of the varied routes by which they had arrived at their convictions about war tax resistance. This was done initially by a circuit of the room, just mentioning significant names. Roger Franklin, the facilitator, spoke of the overwhelming impact of Thoreau, both in 'Civil Disobedience' and 'Walden'. In his own day, he was convinced that 'this people must cease to hold slaves and to make war on Mexico'. Because these things were in fact happening 'I simply wish to refuse allegiance to the state, to withdraw and stand aloof from it effectually'.
Unjust laws exist'.
They must be resisted, but disarmingly, he admits 'A man has not everything to do, but something, an because he cannot do everything it is not necessary that he do something wrong'. Understandably, the evidences that were brought forward in discussion came not only from writings but from other sources of experience as well. We spoke at length about the poets of the first world war who had deeply affected readers over several decades. The Peace Testimonty of the Early Quakers, the Sermon on the Mount, Anne Frank, Father Zabelka and the long-enduring Ploughshares witness were all brought forward. The recent success of the four Ploughshares women in Liverpool, who received a Not Guilty verdict for their damage of a Hawk aircraft, was recounted to those who had not heard about it.