Posted by Bud on November 06, 2009 at 10:40:44:
Rush To Host Radio Show To Stop Violence
Southwest News-Herald - City
November 6, 2009
From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 7, Cong. Bobby L. Rush (D-1st) will lead radio personalities, students, parents, community leaders and others in a special, two-hour commercial free broadcast designed to highlight solutions to combat violence impacting youth across the city.
Stopping the Hits to Stop the Violence, will simulcast on Clear Channel Chicago radio stations WGCI-FM (107.5), WVAZ-FM (V103), WGRB-AM (Inspiration 1390) and Midway Broadcasting Company's WVON-AM (1690 The Talk of Chicago) and reach nearly two million listeners.
Of the 380 homicides in Chicago this year, 74 were youth between the ages of 5 and 19. In the last two years over 500 Chicago Public School students have victimized by gun violence; others have been attacked and beaten walking to and from school. Before the 2006 school year, on average about 10 to 15 public school students were fatally wounded each year, according to police.
"Stopping the Hits to Stop the Violence," will allow teens and young adults to speak candidly about their experiences with violence as well as offer recommendations to adult stakeholders who often attempt to develop solutions without involving those impacted. Students from various area high schools will also be joined in Clear Channel's state-of-art lounge by adult community stakeholders who are on hand to listen.
"With all of the ongoing dialogue about problem of youth and gang violence across our nation it amazes me that few people seem to be talking or listening to the youth themselves," said Rush. "They know what the issues are and they also have ideas on what to do to resolve them. Radio has the ear of our nation's youth and so I commend Clear Channel Chicago and Midway Broadcasting Company for its leadership. Not only will Stopping the Hits to Stop the Violence give voice to creative solutions we might also save lives."
This week Rep. Rush introduced the "Conflict Resolution and Mediation Act of 2009" which directs the U.S. Education Department to develop a national model and funding for programs that help curb student violence. He also wrote Education Secretary Arne Duncan and asked him to provide $50 million in emergency funds to local education agencies to curtail youth violence in at-risk schools.
On Saturday he will be joined by radio personalities and co-hosts WVAZ's Doug Banks, WGCI's Tony Sculfield, WGRB's Pastor John Hannah and WVON's Matt McGill. The two hour show will feature live on air calls from students across the state, as well as include emails and text messages from online listeners via Facebook and Twitter.