Jello Biafra quotes

Jello Biafra is an American punk rock musician and political activist, most famously the lead singer of the Dead Kennedys. His outspoken lyrics and controversial performances made him an influential figure in both music and countercultural politics. He continues to engage in activism, spoken word performances, and independent music projects. Here are 64 of his quotes:

Don't hate the media, become the media. (Jello Biafra)
We don't need a flat tax, but a flattening tax, to truly level the playing field. View quote
Jello Biafra
And we will NOT let Campbell's Soup, Old Navy, or anybody ELSE, HAMMER into the minds of girls as YOUNG as SIX YEARS OLD that they should ALWAYS hate their bodies and ALWAYS be on a diet! View quote
Jello Biafra
Shut up, be happy. Obey all orders without question. The happiness you have demanded is now mandatory. View quote
Jello Biafra
Our biggest national security threat is the environmental destruction of our planet and the arms race with ourselves. View quote
Jello Biafra
What does it say about our country when people are so desperate for an alternative to our one-party state masquerading as a two-party state that they'll even elect a professional wrestler governor? View quote
Jello Biafra
Jimi Hendrix once said, 'You will never hear surf music again.' Well, tonight, you will hear 'serf' music again - S-E-R-F music. View quote
Jello Biafra
Some day, even the experts will figure out, that crime is not caused by rap music...or even my music, but by a power structure of self-absorbed property owners so brain dead and stupid they won't even see that if you're too goddamn greedy to pay taxes for schools and services, they're not going to be any good any more! And that uneducated time bombs are a very poor investment as a future work force. And if you go on teaching people that life is cheap, and leave them to rot in ghettos and jails, they may one day feel justified in coming back to rob and kill you. Duh! View quote
Jello Biafra
George W. Bush - "King George the 2nd", "Cowboy 'Peabrain' Cornholio" - In the Grip of Official Treason. View quote
Jello Biafra
Here we are at the gates of the great and powerful OZ! And we have come for your children! We are the REAL Politically Incorrect! Our lives are not Charmed! We WORK for a living! When was the last time [network television] admitted we even EXIST? Roseanne? Sanford and Son? Taxi? [disgusted] Jerry Springer! Our young people are NOT Teenage Witches! Nor are they Clueless! Fact is, they neither have NOR WANT ANYTHING in common with Dawson's Creek, Popular or Spoiled White Rich BABIES 90210! View quote
Jello Biafra
For every prohibition you create, you also create an underground. (Jello Biafra)
You can spend the money on new housing for poor people and the homeless, or you can spend it on a football stadium or a golf course. View quote
Jello Biafra
"Buy my soda!" said the Moose Diarrhea Salesman. And we did. We all did. But when we got it home and opened up the package, it was not what they said it was. And rather than chucking it all and searching for something better, we're content with looking for another Moose Diarrhea Salesman. View quote
Jello Biafra
George H. W. Bush - "King George the 1st" - Beyond the Valley of the Gift Police. View quote
Jello Biafra
John Ashcroft - "John Ashcrack" - ibid. View quote
Jello Biafra
Al Gore - "Prince Albert" - Become the Media. View quote
Jello Biafra
Bill Clinton - "Mr. Bill" - ibid. View quote
Jello Biafra
I am Emperor Ronald Reagan Born again with fascist cravings Still, you made me president Human rights will soon go 'way I am now your Shah today Now I command all of you Now you're going to pray in school I'll make sure they're Christian too ... You'll go quitely to boot camp They'll shoot you dead, make you a man Don't you worry, it's for a cause Feeding global corporations' claws Die on our brand new poison gas El Salvador or Afghanistan Making money for President Reagan And all the friends of President Reagan. View quote
Jello Biafra
Ronald Reagan - "Grandpa Caligula"; "Ronald McReagan" - No More Coccoons. View quote
Jello Biafra
I've been to enough other countries in the world to know what happens when you have socialized single-payer health care. It works. People don't get sick as much. They don't lose their life savings with a catastrophic illness like cancer or AIDS. View quote
Jello Biafra
I don't think it's too hippie to want to clean up the planet so you don't wind up dying of some kind of cancer when you're 45 years old. It enrages me that these big cancer-research organizations can't be bothered to man the front lines of environmental protest. (Jello Biafra)
All of these reissues were not authorized by me, I do not endorse them, the live album was put out without my permission, and I've not seen a dime at this point, either. View quote
Jello Biafra
I am an anarchist in my personal life. I try to live my life in a way that I don't need cops or baby-sitters to keep me from infringing on others. But I don't feel we have evolved far enough as a species to make anarchy work in society itself. View quote
Jello Biafra
Come, on, EMPTY-V!! [As] far as I'm concerned, Beavis and Butt-head and Dora (sic) are the only two good things you ever DID! [wild applause from audience] But can't you think of a better way to raise audience awareness of domestic violence, than to make it look COOL? View quote
Jello Biafra
If evolution is outlawed, only outlaws will evolve. View quote
Jello Biafra