
{"id":5083,"date":"2009-03-05T11:49:23","date_gmt":"2009-03-05T19:49:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.carrborocitizen.com\/main\/?p=5083"},"modified":"2009-03-05T11:49:23","modified_gmt":"2009-03-05T19:49:23","slug":"conservative-group-ice-supporters-clash-in-chatham","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/2009\/03\/05\/conservative-group-ice-supporters-clash-in-chatham\/","title":{"rendered":"Conservative group, ICE supporters clash in Chatham"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><strong>By Taylor Sisk<br \/>\nStaff writer<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The dais at Captain John\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dockside Fish and Crab House was arranged last Thursday evening for a debate \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a forum, in broad terms, on immigration, education, crime and the budget. <\/p>\n<p>On one side sat Hal Winters, representing the Chatham Conservative Voice, a citizens\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 advocacy group, and Brian Bock of the Chatham County Republican Party. Rick Martinez of WPTF AM 680 was seated in the middle, moderator\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s chair. To his left stood two full water glasses and a pair of empty chairs.<\/p>\n<p>There would be no debate. Churlish words across the Internet \u00e2\u20ac\u201c and the likelihood that groups from outside the county that espouse extreme views on immigration would be in attendance \u00e2\u20ac\u201c had led county commissioners and members of the county\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Human Relations Commission to decline invitations to attend.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>What was convened in the debate\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s stead was a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153rally for open government.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>The focal point of debate was to have been a resolution passed in January by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners declaring the commission\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s opposition to participation in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) 287(g) program, which provides money to local law-enforcement agencies to help identify illegal immigrants and process them for deportation.<\/p>\n<p>The resolution states that while supporting \u00e2\u20ac\u0153local law enforcement in the execution of their duties \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6 the Chatham County Board of Commissioners stands in strong opposition to any local governmental agency contracting with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the purpose of enforcing federal immigration laws.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>At a Feb. 16 commissioners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 meeting that was packed with supporters of the resolution, board chair George Lucier read a statement listing the reasons the board had adopted it. <\/p>\n<p>These included the fact that since participation in 287(g) would require a new jail, it would be costly (\u00e2\u20ac\u0153We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d rather build schools than jails.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d); that joining would take resources away from other anti-crime measures that have proved effective, such as anti-gang programs; that evidence suggests that participation increases the incidence of racial profiling; and that the county must \u00e2\u20ac\u0153honor\u00e2\u20ac\u009d its diversity.<\/p>\n<p>The Chatham Conservative Voice (CCV) has actively opposed that resolution, saying that, the overwhelming preponderance of supporters at the board meeting notwithstanding, it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t reflect the views of a majority of Chatham citizens and that it was passed with insufficient public input.<\/p>\n<p>Many, perhaps most, among the approximately 75 attendees Thursday evening arrived aware there would be no debate. <\/p>\n<p>Earlier in the week, commission chair Lucier had declined to attend, stating in a letter to CCV communications chair Heather Johnson that, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153several outside groups not affiliated with CCV have actively promoted this meeting with their own fliers and email lists, using inflammatory language \u00e2\u20ac\u00a6\u00e2\u20ac\u009d but that he would be \u00e2\u20ac\u0153happy to talk with local residents individually or in other local groups, using a format that is not dominated and emotionally charged by outside influences.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>One such flier had been circulated by NC FIRE, a Cumberland County-based group that, according to its website, seeks to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153educate American citizens who turn a blind eye to the many costly and destructive aspects of illegal immigration,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d including the \u00e2\u20ac\u01538 Ways Illegals Make You Sick.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d That flier implored recipients to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Fight Back Against Chatham County\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and urged members of such groups as the N.C. Minuteman Patriots and the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps to attend.<\/p>\n<p>Representatives of William Gheen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee (ALIPAC) were also expected to arrive. ALIPAC\u00e2\u20ac\u2122S platform states that it \u00e2\u20ac\u0153supports those that legally immigrate, but we DO NOT support any amnesty, visa expansion, or \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcGuest Worker\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 program designed to reward illegal aliens or legalize their presence in the US.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Gheen spoke at a rally in Pittsboro in late January.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Outsiders not welcome<\/strong><br \/>\nBut in the days leading up to the forum, CCV began circulating the message that outsiders would be turned away and, according to Johnson, a communication was sent to NC FIRE saying their representatives would not be welcomed. <\/p>\n<p>In an interview this week, Johnson said that, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In my naivet\u00c3\u00a9, it never occurred to me [when I said], \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcOK, Mr. Gheen, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll give you the floor to talk about this issue,\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 what kind of a guy he would be.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Johnson said that it became clear to her that Gheen was \u00e2\u20ac\u0153trying to use our local issue to advance his agenda,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d one that she personally finds \u00e2\u20ac\u0153horrible.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d When Gheen\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s language on the Chatham County Online Bulletin Board became what Johnson characterized as \u00e2\u20ac\u0153ugly,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and he subsequently sent her \u00e2\u20ac\u0153a very intimidating email &#8230; we made it clear we wanted absolutely nothing to do with these groups.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re here,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d in the county, she added, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153but not by my invitation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>In fact, says Johnson, members of such groups  most probably were in attendance on Thursday night. Nonetheless, a show of hands indicated an overwhelming majority of Chathamites.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153No one looks dangerous to me,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Bock said from the dais. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you are dangerous, you can leave now.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d And, for the most part, the evening proceeded in a civil manner.<\/p>\n<p>Winters said that he believed \u00e2\u20ac\u0153we all share a common goal of having a safe place to live, work and raise a family.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d <\/p>\n<p>And while the CCV doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take a position on whether the county should adopt 287(g), both Winters and Bock declared that in passing the resolution Chatham County was now a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153sanctuary county.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Winters later identified a website that listed the county as such.<\/p>\n<p>\u00e2\u20ac\u0153I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t know anyone in Chatham County who is anti-immigration,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Winters told the crowd. \u00e2\u20ac\u0153The Chatham Conservative Voice is in favor of diversity.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>In a subsequent interview, he said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153No one is advocating going into people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s homes.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Rather, he said, the CCV\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s objective is to have the issue debated in a fair, civil and open forum.<\/p>\n<p>But when the floor was opened to Q&#038;A, the atmosphere grew increasingly vitriolic.<br \/>\nSpeakers from the audience weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t asked to identify themselves. When a man made reference to Lucier\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s statement about whether the county should be building schools or jails, a woman shouted in response, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153A jail.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n<p>Another man, who later identified himself as Bill Brooks of Pittsboro, said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153This is our home. This is our county. We\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to take it back,\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and offered to put down the first $100 to bring 287(g) to the county. He later again rose to suggest putting up road signs with directions to the commissioners\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 homes.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson then immediately called an end to the proceedings. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Taylor Sisk Staff writer The dais at Captain John\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s Dockside Fish and Crab House was arranged last Thursday evening for a debate \u00e2\u20ac\u201c a forum, in broad terms, on immigration, education, crime and the budget. On one side sat Hal Winters, representing the Chatham Conservative Voice, a citizens\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 advocacy group, and Brian Bock of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5083","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5083","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5083"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5083\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5085,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5083\/revisions\/5085"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5083"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5083"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ibiblio.org\/carrborocitizen\/main\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5083"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}