Here it is folks, we knew they were going to try and put a burn on us any way they could. Your opinions please. Let's hear your honest opinions.

Supporters of tuition bill ask for end to attacks

By WILLIAM L. HOLMES, Associated Press Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. -- After a week of bruising, nasty dialogue, supporters of a bill that would give the children of some illegal immigrants in-state tuition to public universities asked Wednesday for a return to civility.
"I don't believe that most North Carolinians agree with the folks that have written to me," said Andrea Bazan-Manson, executive director the Hispanic advocacy group El Pueblo. "I don't want the debate about the bill to fall into this other unproductive debate that is happening."

On April 12, Bazan-Manson appeared with former Gov. Jim Hunt and other dignitaries to announce the bill's introduction. Thirty-five lawmakers had already signed on as sponsors or co-sponsors.

Since then, nine lawmakers have removed their names from the bill after hearing from talk-radio hosts and letter-writers angered at the notion of offering benefits to illegal immigrants.

Bazan-Mason said the rhetoric is the ugliest she has seen during her 12 years with El Pueblo and quoted from a letter she received.

"What kills me is this, momma-cita steals her way across the border and has a baby. Guess what? Baby-cita is now a US citizen and momma and pappa-cita are now allowed to stay and care for" the child, the writer said. "But it doesn't end there. Since most mexicanos don't practice birth control, they have litters of babies."

A leader of opposition to the bill, Americans for Legal Immigration president William Gheen, said he doesn't support racist attacks, but added Wednesday that he understands the anger at the influx of illegal immigrants to North Carolina.

"There is a sense of amazement and outrage and anger that politicians are misinformed and in some cases dismissive of the vast majority of the constituency they are elected to represent," Gheen said. "Of course you're going to get nasty calls when you're that far off base."

Rep. Paul Luebke, D-Durham, one of the four primary sponsors of the legislation, said Wednesday that bill supporters have received encouragement in recent days from educators and religious leaders.

Their measure would give in-state tuition to students who attend North Carolina high schools for at least four consecutive years before graduation. Young people would have to apply for legal immigration status to receive the resident rate. Supporters expect between 500 and 1,300 students to apply for admission to University of North Carolina schools this year if the bill passes.

"The bill seemed to trigger all of the frustration that people had about the changing face of North Carolina," Luebke said.

Supporters, including Hunt, have said the measure is an economic development initiative aimed at lowering the dropout rate among Hispanic youths and training them to enter the job market.

Bazan-Manson met with bill sponsors Wednesday to discuss the status of the legislation, which awaits a hearing before the House Education Committee.

"Everybody is unwavering in their support," she said. "We are going to continue to push forward with this proposal.

"(Children of immigrants) are human beings. Contrary to some of the mail I've gotten these are not animals."

Gheen and many of his allies contend the bill is an invitation for illegal immigrants to move to North Carolina. Gheen believes immigrants are a drain on public resources and says the growth of Hispanic gangs is one result of the nation's immigration problem.

He said he began studying the issue about two years ago.

"At that time, I had no idea about the scope and nature of this invasion," he said. "And it is an invasion."

Gheen said he expects to be labeled a racist by those who disagree with him.

"We call it what people do when they can't have a rational discussion," Gheen said. "The race card is a red herring and an attempt to shut down debate."

A similar tuition bill, along with other immigration-related legislation, spurred heated debate in the Arkansas Legislature earlier this year. At one point, GOP Gov. Mike Huckabee described a fellow Republican's proposal to forbid public assistance and voting rights to illegal immigrants as "inflammatory ... race-baiting and demagoguery."

Arkansas' in-state tuition proposal failed to become law.

Like Bazan-Manson, Gheen said he has received threats.

"I received several threatening messages, but I don't hoist it up as a distraction to the debate," he said.

Gheen said he was not aware that two of the 57 groups linked to his organization's Web site have been labeled hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a Montgomery, Ala.-based group that tracks racist organizations throughout the nation. He said he will more carefully scrutinize the groups.

"It's not hateful to want to have your immigration laws enforced," he said. "They're blowing smoke because that's all they got."