Gardener Ad Plants Controversy

BAKERSFIELD — A local man is speaking out about an ad he placed for his gardening in the Californian, after he got some readers upset.

He is simply saying, “It’s not personal, it’s just business.”

But some in the Hispanic community like Lou Gomez the President of the Hispanic Chamber of commerce are calling the ad racist.

“You know, it sounds very racist to me. It just opens up a can of worms,” Gomez said.

The two-inch ad in question was published at the bottom of Wednesday’s home and garden section, and reads: ‘having problems communicating with your current gardener? — Talk to us, we’re English speaking.”

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“Well, in the same way that you’re able to say you cater, that you advertise that you do speak Spanish, why can’t you advertise to English speaking customers as well,” White said.

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