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Group takes offense to Spanish billboards
HESPERIA - Two signs in Spanish that advertise banking services to the community's sizable Latino population are being derided by a group that claims the signs pander to illegal immigrants.
Raymond Herrera, who first noticed the signs last month, has asked the City Council to require billboards in the city be in English.
Herrera is circulating a petition that will be delivered to Wells Fargo's corporate offices.
"It is incumbent upon all Americans that when you see a decadence arise that will threaten our language and culture, our national identity, to rise to the occasion and push the awareness button and alert the people," Herrera said, speaking both as a resident and founder of We the People, California's Crusader.
We the People's Web site says the organization seeks to influence "institutions of political corruption" and "the corporations and employers that unlawfully hire and exploit illegal aliens."
A Wells Fargo spokeswoman said the banking giant is reviewing the two billboards posted on Hesperia's Main Street.
"It's important that all our customers understand our company communications - including our advertising - which is why you'll discover we advertise in multiple languages," spokeswoman Edna M. Silva wrote in an e-mail. "We use marketing and advertising to build awareness of the products and services we offer to meet our customers' financial needs and help them to succeed financially."
Of the nearly 90,000 people who live in Hesperia, 46 percent are Latino and 34 percent speak a language other than English at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The city's demographics show 23 percent of its population is Latino. [a little contradiction here]
Raul Martinez, a 20-year resident, said he is offended by We the People's opposition to the billboards and asked why Herrera is not complaining about Taco Bell's "Yo quiero Taco Bell" signs.
"I'm proud to see (the Wells Fargo) sign up. We've come a long way," he said. "This sign is not hurting the city. It's trying to generate money for the banks."
Several identical signs are posted in other cities in San Bernardino County and throughout Southern California.
Raymond Herrera, who first noticed the signs last month, has asked the City Council to require billboards in the city be in English.
Herrera is circulating a petition that will be delivered to Wells Fargo's corporate offices.
"It is incumbent upon all Americans that when you see a decadence arise that will threaten our language and culture, our national identity, to rise to the occasion and push the awareness button and alert the people," Herrera said, speaking both as a resident and founder of We the People, California's Crusader.
We the People's Web site says the organization seeks to influence "institutions of political corruption" and "the corporations and employers that unlawfully hire and exploit illegal aliens."
A Wells Fargo spokeswoman said the banking giant is reviewing the two billboards posted on Hesperia's Main Street.
"It's important that all our customers understand our company communications - including our advertising - which is why you'll discover we advertise in multiple languages," spokeswoman Edna M. Silva wrote in an e-mail. "We use marketing and advertising to build awareness of the products and services we offer to meet our customers' financial needs and help them to succeed financially."
Of the nearly 90,000 people who live in Hesperia, 46 percent are Latino and 34 percent speak a language other than English at home, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The city's demographics show 23 percent of its population is Latino. [a little contradiction here]
Raul Martinez, a 20-year resident, said he is offended by We the People's opposition to the billboards and asked why Herrera is not complaining about Taco Bell's "Yo quiero Taco Bell" signs.
"I'm proud to see (the Wells Fargo) sign up. We've come a long way," he said. "This sign is not hurting the city. It's trying to generate money for the banks."
Several identical signs are posted in other cities in San Bernardino County and throughout Southern California.
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