Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association plans Saturday Tea Party

HAVELOCK — The Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association has scheduled a Labor Day weekend Tea Party from 4 to 8 tonight at the Havelock City Park.

According to organizer Lynn Childs, the event will focus on taxes, jobs and the economy as well as immigration, amnesty and voting responsibility.

The Rev. Walter Leake, a former chairman of the Craven County Republican Party who has been involved with the Christian Coalition, is scheduled to be the guest speaker. Another speaker will be Jose (Joe) Dominguez.

"He immigrated to the country when he was 14 with his family, and he will talk about what the process of gaining citizenship meant to him and what his country means to him," Childs said.

Other speakers scheduled include Jeff Lewis, of the N.C. Fire Coalition, and Melvin Cooper, from the U.S. 70 corridor project. There will also be speakers from Freedom Works, the John Locke Foundation and the Civitas Institute.

Childs said there would be an open microphone period for attendees who want to speak.

Those attending are encouraged to bring friends, lawn chairs and signs if they desire.

Childs said she hopes people will be encouraged to come out after the huge turnout in Washington last week for Glenn Beck’s Restoring Honor rally.

"I was there," Childs said. "It was the most moving experience I have ever had in my life. This was about bringing people back to God and revitalizing and looking for the merit in each of us."

The Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association is the former Craven County Taxpayers Association, with its reach extending to Carteret, Pamlico and Jones counties as well.

"Things heated up with the way America was moving, and we became the voice of the Tea Party movement," Childs said.

In the event of inclement weather, Saturday’s event will be rescheduled.

For more information, call 252-638-6850.