You think California is "populated". I grew up and lived near Dodge City, KS before moving to TX, and I believe I once heard that they had the highest per capita Mexican immigration in the US. the schools there are almost 85% Mexican now. The stores all have thier signs in Spanish and I could never find what the heck I was looking for even in the WalMart (I HATE that store).For comparison in that town:
I worked with a friend of Mexican decent back in the late 80's in Dodge. His parents had moved in the immigration of the 50's. We once asked him to translate some Spanish words we had heard. He couldn't. He told us that he and his siblings were not allowed to learn or speak Spanish in the home. His parents raised them this way and wanted them to be Americans. Most of the kids there today can't speak English at all and the ones who can don't realize the advantage that they have in their ability to further themselves. But most would rather live 20 people to a home, drive new pickups, and work at the meat packing plant the rest of thier lives. I don't have anything against meat packers (my best friend worked there for 11 years before going to college and getting his BA and MA), but it doesn't seem that any of them strive to do more except open up a dumpy body shop or taco wagon. When the Vietnamese were there before the Mexicans, they came and worked several years, then moved on to bigger, better capitalistic ventures.
People should have pride for thier ancestory, I do (Irish and Scottish). But to move to a different country and not expect to have to assimilate yourself at all is wrong. If I moved to Germany I would be expected to learn and abide by the rules, customs, and language.