Long Live the Cinco de Mayo

[Squire Robertsson]

First, it needs to be understood that the 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day. That's the 16th of September.

Second, outside of the city and state of Puebla, it's pretty much a minor holiday. Think Patriots' Day big in Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but not so big in the rest of the country unless you're a marathoner.

So, why should I as an American of non-Hispanic background celebrate the Cinco de Mayo?

The Mexican victory in 1862, fourteen months before the victroy at Vicksburg, meant the French were unable to back the Confederacy as Napoleon III wanted. The battle in many ways was the equivalent to our victory at Saratoga. Not the end of the war, but the beginning of the end.
A French victory could have meant US force meeting French and Mexican Imperial forces on the battle field. IMHO, better Mexican Nationalist blood than American.

I would hasten to add, if you don't want to celebrate or you think celebrating the Cinco de Mayo is un-American if not down right treasonous, what do you think about St. Patrick's Day (Irish) or Columbus Day (Italian)?

 

[InTheLight]

I'm neutral on celebrating Cinco de Mayo. I would like to know why people celebrate this holiday on May 4th?

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Being good RCC, they don't want to par-tay on Sunday.

I'm neutral on celebrating Cinco de Mayo. I would like to know why people celebrate this holiday on May 4th?

 

[RG2]

Cinco de Mayo is just another reason (like St. Patrick's Day) for people to get drunk. Like you said it's a Mexican holiday that Mexicans in Mexico don't even celebrate.

I don't really agree that Columbus Day is to be lumped in with these other two, as it does have quite a bit of historical significance. Though I don't believe that people really celebrate Columbus Day either.

 

[Squire Robertsson]

Columbus Day gets celebrated in areas with large Italian communities. And yes. CdM is a reason to par-tay. One story I heard on it's origins as a holiday north of the Rio Grande, is it was chosen as a "Hispanic-American" holiday because it wasn't some country's independence day. (That's the San Francisco, CA version) The Texas version is the Mexican breweries (Dos Equis and Corona) wanted a day to sell their beer. So, they began to subsidize the local CdM festivities.

Cinco de Mayo is just another reason (like St. Patrick's Day) for people to get drunk. Like you said it's a Mexican holiday that Mexicans in Mexico don't even celebrate.

I don't really agree that Columbus Day is to be lumped in with these other two, as it does have quite a bit of historical significance. Though I don't believe that people really celebrate Columbus Day either.

 

[poncho]

More booze and circuses for everyone! That's what they did in Rome when the elite were robbing everyone blind and turning the Republic into a dictatorship.