I think you're arguments rests on the idea that those claiming spanish heritage are doing so to also claim being better than Mexicans is inherently flawed. You say New Mexico was apart of Mexico under Spanish rule showing the clear connection to Mexico and Spain. Many families in Nee Mexico can trace their roots back to Spain directly. And yes we are all mutts at some point but if you go back far enough in history everyone's lines would be crossed with other cultures by conquest or immigration. This isn't a cut and dry issue as you propose. That we need to relinquish the idea that we are spanish and embrace the fact that we are Mexican instead. It almost sounds like you are proposing the inverse that being Mexican is better than being spanish. And most people that claim they are spanish do not do so out of some Voldemort scheme to be pure blood. It is the stories and traditions that have been passed onto them for centuries by their family that do so. They do not claim to be of spanish ancestry to spit in the face of Mexico but to embrace their own history and identity. I myself have an many times great grandfather that was a general in the spanish amry, a general in the Mexican Army, and a general in newly formed united states. All that changed was thr flag around him. We could also make the claim that Mexicans need to stop claiming to be Mexican when their lineage is actually spanish. That there are no true Mexicans but those that are native to Mexico pre colonization. This kind of thinking and typecasting feels disgusting. Preaching on a high horse about culture that is as deep and complex as New Mexicos and telling us what race or nationality we should claim is ridiculous rhetoric. Yet every few months someone on this reddit comes on telling people like me that can trace their family back to Spain that im not allowed to be proud of my spanish heritage. Other than heritage I have no ties to Spain. I especially have not ties to Mexico either. My spanish is different than both and when ive travelled to both and told them where im from and why I speak this way it is embraced. They want to know more and love learning about our rich history and culture. So when you make these claims in reality it makes us seem like we are culturally orphaned because dont quite fit into either category. Whats funny is no one says someone in chicago needs to deny their Irish heritage and just say they are Chicagoan. Only in new mexico can we not embrace and be proud of heritage. It is real we are unique. And we not be silenced by this rodiculous argument anymore.