He Saw, He Said, He Did To The Editor:

I would like to applaud this video clerk who was asked to transfer a terrorist video onto DVD. He saw these guys were dangerous and alerted the authorities. Now six Muslim terrorists are under lock and key and Fort Dix is safe for awhile until the next terrorist threat.

This video clerk saw something and did something by saying something. Like the saying goes, "Evil thrives when good men do nothing." Well, this clerk did something and America is a little safer for that Frederick R. Bedell Jr. Bellerose

St. Mary's S.C. Must Close To The Editor:

After decades of service in Long Island City, Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens with the New York City Department For the Aging have made the difficult but necessary decision to no longer provide services from St. Mary's Senior Center after June 29.

Through the transition process, Catholic Charities will help to acquaint seniors with several neighboring senior centers, so that they can choose the center where they feel most at home.

In the past five years, the number of seniors accessing services at the center has declined significantly. Today, St. Mary's Senior Center has gone from serving 100 seniors to 30 seniors a day. This has to do with the changing landscape of Long Island City; seniors are leaving the neighborhood, and young professionals and families are moving in. In addition, the St. Mary's Senior Center is housed in a building that is over 100 years old. The cost of maintaining and upgrading it is prohibitive.

Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens understands that the consolidation will be a major adjustment for our seniors, for whom the center is a home away from home. Our existing transportation services will focus on the needs of Long Island City seniors, providing them access to shopping, medical appointments and transportation to other senior centers. Service to homebound clients will not be interrupted by this change; they will continue to receive Meals-On-Wheels and other assistance. Sincerely, Donna Corrado Chief Operating Officer Builders For Family & Youth, Inc. Catholic Charities Brooklyn & Queens

No Rate Hikes! To The Editor:

I strongly disagree with the increase in Con Edison monthly fees. Along with the increases in monthly rent, the cost of a postage stamp, food, clothing, health care and medication, a family or a single person of any age, will be left with very little to save. It seems that as prices rise, the quality of services decreases. The post office and Con Edison always increase their prices and yet their services and caring for the public decrease. Again, public hearings should be held where consumers will be able to voice their opinions. That is the democratic way to follow, where we voice our choice. It is unfair for consumers to not have a voice in matters that affect them.

I truly support and agree with Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. for his tireless efforts in combating lewdness. The public hearing conducted several weeks back and the passage of a law by the council to give harsher punishment for lewdness will greatly protect the quality of life and promote the protection of women. I applaud Councilperson Vallone Jr. for caring for all of us and being our voice.

I also am appalled at the entire notion of Bicycle Sunday, with its closings of streets, bridges and tunnels. This is self serving on their part and if an emergency should God forbid, happen, traffic would not be able to go through. This is unnecessary hardship upon the quality of life of Astoria residents. Cynthia Groopman Long Island City

Tax Cuts Cost More

To The Editor:

Republican New York state Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's proposal to provide tax rebates for seniors is really bad news for taxpayers.This proposal could cost hundreds of millions of dollars which New York state doesn't really have. It is easy for any politician, be it liberal or conservative; Democrat or Republican, on the city, state or federal level, to announce a tax cut. What they all fail to do is identify how this lost revenue will be made up. Does this mean cuts to other state services, increase debt, borrow more money or asking the federal government for additional financial assistance? Washington already has its own financial problems to deal with.

New Yorkers face the highest tax burden in America. New York state is number two nationally, with each resident responsible for $3,515 of the $50 billion dollar total debt.

Intelligent voters are not impressed with any tax rebates which average $100 or $200 per year. Stop trying to bribe voters with token tax rebates as a vehicle to grease the wheels of reelection. Albany needs to return to the old fashion pay-as- you-go financial management. Sincerely, Larry Penner Great Neck, New York

No Amnesty For Illegals To The Editor:

In a disgraceful repeat of last year's outrage, hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens marched this May 1 in open defiance of our laws, denouncing the U.S. and demanding "rights". Do these subversives deserve amnesty?

Should amnesty be given to the 20,000 plus members of the criminally violent MS-13 Gang or other organized gangs of alien mobsters?

Our open borders have allowed thousands of terrorists, drug smugglers, foreign agents and various haters of our nation to settle among us. Should they be granted amnesty?

Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who fired on a drug smuggler crossing our border, received no amnesty but were sent to prison for protecting us. It seems that President [George W.] Bush desires amnesty only for alien criminals who invade our land.

America is still one of the safest countries in which to live, but that has been changing for some time as a result of government policies. Where are we headed? Amnesty for illegal aliens is just another step in the tragic dismantling of our Western culture as we move toward "globalization" and the New World Order.

Tell your congressman to vote no on amnesty!

God save America. Lawrence Burke Roslyn, New York Kids Are In Danger To The Editor:

We are stunned by the number of children we examine daily who suffer from serious medical conditions resulting from poor eating habits and lack of exercise. The list of those conditions is long and the consequences to society as these children grow to adulthood both in terms of poor health and staggering medical costs will truly burden our resources. We believe that the solution is prevention. We must teach our children healthy eating habits now and schools are the place to begin that education.

Last month a bill (A.7086/S. 4169) was introduced in the New York state legislature which would mandate that schools offer nutritious food choices to our children. This bill cannot reach the floor of the legislature for a vote until it is approved by the education committees of the Assembly and the senate. Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan (DQueens) is the chairperson of the Assembly Education Committee and she controls what bills the committee will consider. We urge her to put this bill on her committee's agenda, to encourage her fellow committee members to send it to the floor of the Assembly and to actively support its passage.

Many children receive 25 percent of their weekly nutrition in school and some nearly 50 percent. Currently the food choices available to students in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores are often of minimal nutritional value and so undermine the lessons taught in nutrition classes and imperil the long term health of our kids. The passage of this bill will address this situation and represents an effective initial step in our effort to combat the childhood obesity crisis. Let's hope that Assemblywoman Nolan understands its importance to our children's health and wellbeing and makes its passage a priority for the Assembly Education Committee. Abraham Jelin, M.D. Chairman Youth Advocacy Committee New York Chapter 2 American Academy of Pediatrics

Ishvar Patel, M.D. President-Elect New York Chapter 2 American Academy of Pediatrics

Gonzalo Sabogal, M.D President Queens Pediatric Society