The Refusers: Vaccine Protest Music Gone Viral

By Norma Erickson, President

The first public performance of a now quite controversial rock band was in July 2010 at the American Rally for Personal Rights. In the tradition of protest songs during civil rights and anti-war movements, The Refusers presented their protest music as a tribute to vaccine-injury victims past, present and future.

Michael Belkin and his band use a unique musical style they have dubbed ‘Innoc-You-Rock’ to focus listeners’ attention on controversial vaccine issues. Their hard-hitting lyrics provide a direct counterpoint to what they see as “government issued vaccine propaganda and the current medical establishment’s policy of vaccinate first, ask questions later.”

The Refusers’ name was chosen in direct response to the American Medical Association’s position on informed consent, which says:

“Your patient should have an opportunity to ask questions to elicit a better understanding of the treatment or procedure, so that he or she can make an informed decision to proceed or to refuse a particular course of medical intervention.”

Michael Belkin categorically states, “The AMA’s position on informed consent does not say ‘except vaccines.’ Vaccination choice is a fundamental human right. Any doctor who fails to inform you about the risks associated with vaccines, or who contends you do not have the right to refuse vaccination is violating their own medical code of ethics.”

What motivated Mr. Belkin to organize his vaccination protest band?

Flashback fourteen years: Michael is a successful, self-employed quantitative strategist happily married to the woman of his dreams. Lyla Rose was born with no complications – a healthy, happy baby girl. At five weeks of age, she is taken for a check-up and a booster shot of Hepatitis B vaccine. 15 hours later, Michael’s baby girl was gone.

Michael states that although the coroner initially stated Lyla’s brain was swollen (encephalitis), the cause of death ultimately ruled as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The swollen brain and the hepatitis B vaccine were not mentioned in the final autopsy report.

Knowing that SIDS is a diagnosis of exclusion and brain inflammation is not SIDS, Michael’s research began. He discovered the following quote from Merck’s Home Health Manual:

Encephalitis can occur in the following ways:

• A virus directly infects the brain.
• A virus that caused an infection in the past becomes reactivated and directly damages the brain.
• A virus or vaccine triggers a reaction that makes the immune system attack brain tissue (an autoimmune reaction).

Michael found himself attending any applicable government meeting he could. He attended a workshop at the National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine on “Neo-Natal Death and the Hepatitis B Vaccine” and an Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting on the safety of the hepatitis B vaccine. He obtained the entire VAERS database on hepatitis B adverse events reports and investigated it thoroughly.

In May of 1999, seven months after the tragic loss of his daughter, Michael Belkin presented the following testimony to Congress:

Michael continues to work within the system to promote vaccine safety and preserve the right to vaccine choice for many years. Although he experiences some small successes, Michael ultimately gets to the point where he feels he is beating his head against a brick wall. Those in charge of vaccination rules, regulations and policy-making just do not seem to care. Tired and wanting to return to a somewhat normal life, Michael takes some time off from vaccine safety and consent issues.

During his respite, he witnesses the development and marketing of several additional vaccines. He watches the autism rate climb to a previously unheard of level. He witnesses a substantial increase in the size of the VAERS database. He witnesses the increase in chronic and debilitating diseases in young people throughout the United States.

Michael went on to have two healthy unvaccinated children. He witnessed apartheid-like exclusionary policies being instituted against children whose parents chose to try and preserve their health and well-being. He witnessed people losing their jobs because they decided one vaccine or another was not in their best interest. He witnessed schools, daycares, and even medical professionals exclude people based on their vaccination status.

Michael Belkin decided enough was enough. The only option left was to take his message to the streets via a medium that might catch the attention of the average American medical consumer. Michael, his 11-year old unvaccinated son Sebastian, Steve Newton and Joey Walbaum decided to use their musical talents organize a protest band that would publicly stand up for everyone’s right to refuse vaccination.

The Refusers take great pride in their young drummer, Sebastian Belkin – a real deal healthy refuser – and visible proof that the unvaccinated are not the threat to public health and safety they are being portrayed as. Sebastian is the epitome of a normal healthy young man, not to mention talented.

Their strategy appears to be working. The Refusers first video, shown below, has officially gone viral with over 280,000 views. First Do No Harm, is also the title cut of the band’s soon to be released CD.

Michael Belkin and The Refusers have obviously found an effective way to get their message to those who need to hear it.

Listen to more music from The Refusers here.