POLITICAL SILENCE

Political Silence were active in the Flint, Michigan hardcore scene of the mid-80s. Here they are live in East Lansing circa 1987. I never knew these guys personally, but the two redheaded brothers were members of the Methodist Church I attended in Swartz Creek, and their mom made the cake for my high school graduation party.

"Freedom fighters in Nicaragua? It's a contra - contra - CONTRADICTION!" Man, nothing like some Flintoid hardcore. These nerds weren't fucking around. The earnest young hippie introducing the band is Rafael, a mainstay of EL hardcore thanks to his public access TV program The 666 Club and his band Army of God. Rafael was dead sincere about his political causes, but East Lansing was more of a drunk/dropout/apathy scene, so he never rallied the troops no matter how hard he tried. Last I knew he was working in a comic store and made an awkward run at a city council position ...