These are just words. The fact that California calls itself a “state” does not mean that it is a country. It is an administrative unit below the level of the US, there are counties that are administrative units below the level of “California”, there are metropolitan areas below that level. Vermont was once such a unit within New York, it then seceded and later joined the USA.
I’m sure there are good arguments against Catalonian independence, but arguing that they have no right because of the name of their administrative unit is not going to convince anyone of anything except that you have no better argument.
You should drop this comparison please. It is deeply offensive (and I don’t mean to the Madrid politicians).
