You are right...I had many Hispanic friends.And their families had lived there many years.
I dated Hispanic girls.....
The thing I don't think you are seeing...is the illegal immigration that is ruining Calif. It's the not the legal 3rd, 4th generation of native Hispanic's that are ruining the state.
It's the illegals.....!!
I thought illegal immigration was a problem in 1986 when President Reagan instituted amnesty.
It made the blood vessels pop out on my neck.
Since then, I have come to accept the regional history, the role of flow of people from Mexico, etc.
I would prefer it to be different, but it is not going to change by much, and is probably not the most pressing topic.
I consider the overall economic trends to be problematic. High taxes and regulations together with high costs, pushing companies into moving away.
And over paid, over benefited government workers, too.
None of those topics are driven by illegals. And I think that a lot of people we may assume are illegal, are not illegal.
I know an extremely successful large painting contractor. Very conservative. Dislikes illegal immigration. BUT when he needs competent, reliable workers, he has no choice but to hire people he suspects are illegal.
He says the anglos get drugged or drunk with their first check, don’t show up for work at all, etc.