‘I didn’t offend anybody': NJ councilwoman won’t apologize for stereotyping Mexicans

✅NJ councilwoman sparks backlash, says Mexicans are “excellent” at landscaping

✅Residents and NAACP leader call the remarks offensive

✅Mayor says comments don’t reflect the town’s values of diversity and inclusion

WILLINGBORO — A township councilwoman who used stereotypes of Mexicans and other ethnicities at a public meeting earlier this month refused to apologize on Tuesday night.

During a presentation by Willingboro's public works director at the council's April 7 meeting, Democratic Councilwoman Rebecca Perrone said there are "certain cultures" that know how to handle landscaping. In her view, it is Mexicans.

The remarks were criticized by some, including online conservative influencers who noted that Republican officials would have been labeled racist for saying something similar.

On Tuesday, Mayor Samantha Whitfield, who also sits on the council, said the "troubling" comments caused "concern" in the community.

"Willingboro is a diverse and welcoming township and statements that generalize or stereotype regardless of intent do not reflect the values of respect and inclusion we strive to uphold," Whitfield said. "It is important we acknowledge that words matter, especially in a public forum."

William “Will” Weston, former president of the NAACP Willingboro & Vicinity Branch, criticized the councilwoman at Tuesday's meeting and asked her to apologize.

"You read a statement earlier and I fear you do not recognize your offense," he said. "Do you realize how your statement was inappropriate? It's concerning that you don't seem to grasp that. The statement you read didn't seem like an apology and I don't know if it was supposed to be."

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Councilwoman doubles down, cites ‘statistics’

Perrone, who described herself as Guatemalan and Puerto Rican,  aid that it was “unfortunate” that people take words and use them as political gain.  She then revisited the subject of lawn maintenance on busy roadways from the April 7 meeting.

She cited "United States statistics" that the "landscaping workforce” is diverse, with Hispanic and Latino workers making up the largest segment at 35%. Of that group, Mexicans make up 65%.

“Hispanic and Mexican workers are widely recognized as a critical and highly skilled force within the landscape and green industry,” Perrone said.

“I hope that statement clarifies that I complimented workers," she said. "There is nothing that I said that is insulting to any race or people or anything like that. To pinpoint and try to break apart something that was positive is a disgusting character of you.”

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NAACP leader, residents demand apology

Dexter Rodney, a resident who spoke at the meeting. said Perrone's statement was offensive "to a whole bunch of people," and said Mexicans are not the only ones who are good with grass. He was concerned about how to explain Perrone's statement to his daughter.

"We owe it to our brothers and sisters and neighbors an apology," the resident said. "We voted you in here to represent us as a community, and that did not represent us."

Perrone insisted she was "speaking the facts" and that her words were twisted.

"They are excellent landscapers. I don't know how somebody can misconstrue saying a population of people are excellent at a job or doing something great and you take it to something offensive, there must be something wrong with that individual," Perrone said. "This is not an apology. I didn't offend anybody. I definitely didn't offend my own culture. I complimented them because they are excellent landscapers," Perrone said.

"Only the devil will listen to that comment and try to throw dirt on it," Perrone said.

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