October 16,2005
BY Zac Goldstein
Sun Journal

Bill Gheen's message is simple: Don't forget the L. The president of Americans for Legal Immigration, Gheen was one of several featured speakers at the Craven County Republican Party's Pig Pickin' & Fundraisin' program Saturday.

"It's true that we are a nation of immigrants," the ECU alumnus said to the 125 or so who turned out to Lawson Creek Park to hear him speak. "But we are a nation of legal immigrants."

Gheen pointed to a large disparity between voters and state politicians on immigration policy and predicted large turnover following the 2006 election. He also dismissed the idea that tighter immigration controls could lead to a job shortage.

"We've gotten all the turkeys plucked and all the houses built for a long time, without any illegal aliens," he said. "Americans have already gotten the job done."

Promoting awareness of illegal immigration was the focal point of the event, according to Craven County Republican Chairman Steve Tyson. The fund-raiser also featured remarks from Ferrell Blount, state party chairman, and speeches from U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) and conservative newspaper publisher Judson Cox.

Cox distributed copies of his paper, The North Carolina Conservative, which he marketed as an alternative to big-city papers in Raleigh and Charlotte.

"We go hard after liberals," he said. "We report on things the city papers won't."

Longtime GOP member John Wetherington said party membership in Craven County was on the rise.

"We had 1,500 (registered Republicans) back in 1964, when I started," he said. "Now we have 22,000. It's a growing thing."

Blount said the state party was poised to make big gains in 2006.

"We are planning for that election," he said.

He estimated that between fund-raisers in Craven County and elsewhere, the party would raise $25,000 by the end of the weekend.