Where's Tom? We got us some flames in need of fannin'.

Pinko commie bureaucrats in the UNC Community College System called yesterday for the year-old ban on illegal immigrant students to be lifted. Why hasn't NCGOP Tom (Not Gay) Fetzer jumped on this opportunity to profess his patriotic bigotry?

Dr. Stuart Fountain, a retired Asheboro dentist who heads the board's policy committee, said the colleges should not stand in the way of any person who wants an education. Without this option, we are creating a second-class citizenry," Fountain said, "a group of people who have no option but to go ahead and join a gang."

Other members agreed that educating undocumented immigrants would reduce their likelihood of committing crimes or depending on public resources.

"These young people are here with basically no fault of their own," said Joanne Steiner, a board member from Wake Forest. "I am highly opposed to creating a subculture of people who have no hope."

Go read the story, and also the comments. Fetzer will find himself in good company.

PS At first, I thought this might be a finance-driven plea since illegal immigrants have to pay out of state tuition - three times what residents pay. But given the very small number of illegal immigrants who have been enrolled, that seems unlikely. On the contrary, it appears from the story to be a proposal by thoughtful and compassionate people interested in doing the right thing.