It's in what Country? Southern California Cutural War ...

Probably the biggest change I have seen in Southern California, since I grew up here, and left,... is how the area is slowly and methodically reverting back to Mexico; where it once belonged. While I continue to witness California resident's dismay... politically they seem to be succumbing to the conversion.

I was driving down Carminita Road and pulled into a little tienda ( store ), named El Burrito Loco, to get a bottle of Mountain Dew to quence my thirst. An argument was in progress between an American and a Mexican (American-?). He was speaking in spanish... she in english. Niether seemed to understand what the other was saying. He was telling her she needed to learn spanish. She was scolding him for not speaking english. It was a stalemate. I was both amused and perplexed. Eventually, she just left her purchases on the counter and walked out.

"No sé cuál es su problema" ( I don't know what her problem is ), he said to me. "Ella dijo que ésta es América y usted necesita hablar inglés" (She said this is America and you need to speak english ), I replied. "Porque no hablar inglé?" ( Why don't you speak english, I asked him). He vivido aquí solamente dos meses ( I have only lived here for 2 months ), he answered.
It's not the first time I've seen this type of confrontation going on since I've been visiting the area.

I tend to not get caught up in these cultural exchanges. In Florida, I seldom go down south.... across the simulated Cuban border. But I do think that Americans have a point. Toss all the languages into our melting pot and they should come out sounding something like english. It is our country's language. My heritage is hispanic ( Puerto Rico ); and while I take pride in my heritage, I was born on the mainland and my language of choice is english. When I visit Puerto Rico I have no problem converting to the island's chosen language of spanish.

As for that Mountain Dew? They didn't have any. Their main beverage was Jarritos. It comes in many flavors: pineapple, lime, mandarin, mango, guava, and tamarind among them. I went looking for a 7-11. They may be foreign owned but they carry Mountain Dew.

...and so it goes.