[Denver Ditdat]

In fact, the Spanish-speaking inhabitants of the Southwest NEVER considered themselves "Mexicans" at all, ever. They went, in their own eyes, from SPANISH directly to AMERICAN.

Very true. The maternal side of my wife's family were Coloradans long before Colorado was a state. Ask any of them about thier heritage, and they will emphatically identify themselves as having SPANISH roots.

[Denver Ditdat]

p.s. - Travis, if you have or are thinking of starting a ping list would you please add me to it? Thanks.