Gary Moskowitz
MEDIA DISTRICT NORTH -- Rage Against Destruction, a 30-member touring
group on a mission to terminate youth violence across the country,
bombarded Burbank High School Thursday with live music, three huge video
screens, concert-style lighting, about $3,000 in giveaways and one clear
message -- violence is not the answer.
John Dunkin, also known as "Pigeon John," is the rapper in the group's
live band, which is made up of drums, guitar, bass, backup vocals and a
DJ.
Dunkin's group performed high-energy hip hop songs for three
assemblies of cheering teens in Burbank High's gymnasium Thursday, while
statistics on violence in America were flashed on the three screens
behind them.
"My songs are about everyday life, things like rent, laundry, parents,
jobs and people," said Duncan, 28, who also performs with LA Symphony, a
collective group of artists based in Los Angeles. "I think we really
connect with kids, face to face, and maybe after seeing this they will go
about things in a different way."
The group will play 10 high schools in the Los Angeles area, then
continue across the country, hitting middle and high schools in eight
cities on an antiviolence tour that will culminate in June in Boston.
Rage encourages students to speak in front of their peers about issues
that affect them directly or indirectly, said Annie Dollarhide, public
relations director for Rage.
"We don't use scare tactics or try to frighten them, but instead try
to unite the school's student body," said Dollarhide, 23. "We want to
help direct students toward setting and achieving their goals."
The group actually began as an anti-drug and alcohol campaign, but
school principals began asking the group if it could include segments on
nonviolence in their performance, said Rage director Tom Woodcock.
"I have kids at home too, so this is important to me," said Woodcock,
42. "I initially wanted to help with the drug problem, but we started to
realize that violence was becoming a bigger issue."
For more information on Rage Against Destruction, call 1-877-572-4323
or visit www.ragead.org.
A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE
Here's a sampling of the more notorious crimes in Burbank that have
been committed by children.
* 1999: Eric Favela, 18, was sentenced to 26 years to life for
stabbing fellow student Adam Smith in a faculty parking lot at Burbank
High School.
* 1998: Amber Merrie Bray, 18, a former high school honors student and
cheerleader, was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy for
