On August 27 at 7 p.m., Taichung City Government held a “Save the Kids” event with popular music. Taichung City Mayor Jason Hu, the deputy of the Municipal Police Bureau and the principal of Liren Junior High School called on the people to take a decisive stand to end the causes of violence, calling for “No drugs, no lies, no car racing, no prostitution.”

Mayor Hu has indicated that young friends must work together to protect one another and refuse violence, to look at matters rationally. Hu said that citizens need not only oppose violence, but must also keep their cool, because what we do and what we say when angry will always come back to haunt us and could cause our parents discomfort.

The increasing number of children involved in criminal behavior over the past years usually do not participate in the kind of extra curricular activities that keep them out of trouble due the an unbelievably wide gap between the wealthy and the poor. Parents do not have free time to watch over them. Add to that the fact that teachers tend to shirk the extra work of creating after-school activities, and kids soon begin to take on a pessimistic view of life, causing depression and feelings of uneasiness and then seek out excitement and, one after another, go down the wrong path.

This activity has been prepared to give them the chance to know their own self worth. With a boost of enthusiasm, the kids explore dance and music, show off their stuff and have a chance to release all their pent up pressure.