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

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.

What’s racist about that? Have you ever tried to speak to a gardener in California? Most of them don’t speak English and most of them don’t even bother to learn because el jefe (the boss) speaks Spanish too. What’s racist about saying I hire people who speak English?

John declined to give his last name and go on camera, but said over the phone that the ad speaks for itself, that he’s simply trying to compete.

Some readers agree while others disagree. Angie White says she’s had communication problems in the past.

“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.

But Alicia Gonzalez is upset over the ad.

“It doesn’t directly indicate a race, but I think it’s pretty clear what they are trying to insinuate, so I just think that it’s insensitive,” Gonzalez said.

Though some say communication problems are a real issue, others say pointing the finger at minorities isn’t fair.

Insensitive to what, exactly? Pointing fingers at who, exactly?

All the ad said was that they speak English. It wasn’t accusing anyone of anything, or berating them, or anything else. It simply stated that, unlike 99.98% of their competition in California, this firm hired workers who spoke English.

How horrible. It’s just further proof that even when racism doesn’t exist, it must be created, manufactured, or fostered so people like Lou Gomez will still have jobs.

Technorati Tags: immigration, language, Lou Gomez, racism