KMICICKNACG KNICKERBOCKER NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION COMMITTEE VOL. 1 JANUARY, 1974 NO.6 As you can see by this issue, KNICK-KNAC is truly YOUR paper. Keep writing us. We like to hear from you. _ "SURPRISE" A new member has joined the KNAC organization. Her name is Samantha. She's Beautiful, Sociable and Lov- able. She attends all our meetings and also our Bingo games. At our KNAC dance she politdy visited each table and indulged in some goodies. She is the hostess of Saint Joseph's Church. Do come to our meeting January 18th and personally meet her. You'll love her/ Vera LaMorto The next meeting of KNAC will be held January 18th. at Saint Joseph's Auditorium at 8 P.M. We would like to see all parents who care about their children attend. Bob Meltzer, a Psychologist and Assistant Director of the Educational Alliance will be there with his staff. He t will try to help you with your problems with your childrens We will also split up into small groups for rap sessions with him and his staff. It should be extremely interest- ing and helpful to all of us. Please try to attend. HOW TO TURN IN A PUSHER: Call the Crime Prevention division of the 5th. Precinct CA-6-3806. Give a good description of the person, what he is pushing (if known), the time he is seen, his name (if known). If he uses a car give a description of the vehicle and license number. You can do it by letter, but either way you do not have to give your name. We know ‘the "code" is not to tell-but this is your life and the lives of your children, We think that is more important than any code. a)@) ae GUEST EDITORIAL: Ed. Note: This letter should have been in our last issue, but it was received after the paper had already been comp- leted. But it is no less important one month later. Read it carefully,neighbors. December 2, 1973 On the back page of the last issue of the KNICK-KNAC paper there was a little cartoon of a "reporter" asking for something to report. This morning he got that some- thing to report but I don't think it was exactly what he was looking for. A 17-year old boy shot in the head by a murderer no-one sees or knows. And no-one cares. The kids are still running around with knives and guns in their pockets and trying to be "BIG" men. Where does it end? When will the parents realize that their children are not just good kids interested in basketball, hockey and football. That there are a few of them who may turn out to be cold-blooded killers if they're not that al- ready. When will they realize the punishment their kids may have may not be only to stay home safe and secure, but that they may never see tomorrow's sun either be- cause they won't be alive to see it or because the bars of their prison cells won't allow them to see it. Their heads are filled with violence and not one of us is con- vincing them that doing things on their own will only end up in sorrow. Maybe they'll never see the other end of the pistol or may’never be involved. But someone will be, even if it's just an innocent bystander. They will never be able to pay for the loss of a young boy but putting his killer behind bars is a start. We have to stop it now or else it will really get out of hand. People used to curse God and the president when a boy's life was lost in war. And here is a young boy with every- thing to live for, no fear of having the army put him into a foreign country to lose his life for the freedom and honor of his fellow countrymen and how does he lose his life? In the basement of a 12-building community with people who can't get together to combat that which is tearing their lives and families apart and forcing them to lose their sons, not in honor, but in a rat-infested hole. g@) What did he live for? What did he die for? Wot for his honor, No-one will ever erect a monument in his name or give him a medal for bravery. He died out of stupidity and ignorance. The stupidity and ignorance of people so involved with their own hatreds and prejudices that they are willing to give up their own children for it. For a group of people that are so simple-minded that if some- one tells them their sons are doing something wrong, they answer "It must have been someone who looks like him." Why don't they open their eyes? Why can't they see that it's not only the destruction of the buildings that is the problem but the destruction of young lives. Why don't they show their kids that there are things worth fighting for such as education and love. The kind of love of our fellow-man that Jesus Christ died for. Where will these deaths lead? To the front page of the New York Post? After a few days we all throw the newspaper away and then where is their story? - In a compressing machine and a file in the neighborhood police precinct. After 6 months who will remember the boy except his family and friends? Why can't we make the Two Bridges a place to be proud of instead of a place people can't wait to get out of ? Must a few parents end up with the tragedy and pain of a son's loss? It's not going to end here. But if we all work together, maybe the next one will be far away and if both kids and parents work together maybe there won't be another death. Don't laugh at KNAC. Don't make KNAC a meeting just involving sports--make it involve what sports involves- The young boys and girls of this commun- ity. - Our future mothers and fathers. Don't give up on pe them/ - A very concerned neighbor ATTENTION- FATHERS ! One of the best things that has happened in K.V. is our PARENT PATROL. It has grown to almost 40 dedicated fathers who patrol the basement near B-5. Everyone has benefited, + especially the children. Soon they will be expanding their beats and need more volunteers. Come on fathers-- Give up a couple of nights of T.V. for the sake of your children.