Sherman Austin did the opposite of most artists that spread the word of anarchism. He was convicted of being an anti-American terrorist that distributed information about creating explosives. It was thought that he knew the intentions of readers and was providing information in a malicious way. In 2002, Austin agreed to a plea and served one year in federal prison. Although Sherman Austin said he did not write the information, but simply provided the information for free, he was still in violation of the Patriot Act (which could have given him a 20 year punishment). Austin had been found with possible explosive materials when his house was searched by the FBI and at a protest in NYC. When he was released, he was on 3 year probation from use of computers or contact of suspicious characters. Shortly after his release, Sharman Austin released a hip-hop album entitled Silence is Defeat. His songs preach anti-government ideas and tell his story of how he was illegally wired-taped by the FBI and attempted assassinations by the FBI.
-Skye Coady
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