Mexican Flag Day event held in Santa Ana
February 20th, 2012, 3:00 pm · · posted by Theresa Cisneros
Veronnika Diaz was among those who performed during the Mexican Flag Day celebration in Santa Ana.
About 7,000 people attended a Mexican Flag Day ceremony in downtown Santa Ana on Sunday afternoon, aimed at honoring the Mexican and American flags and educating many in the audience about their Mexican roots.
The eighth annual event – which featured flag presentations, live entertainment, a brief history lesson and more – ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Plaza Santa Ana, an outdoor space at the corner of Fourth and French streets.
The gathering was sponsored by Los 32 Por Mexico en Orange County – a group dedicated to preserving Mexican culture and traditions – and was supported by members of ADELSA (Asociacion de Empresarios Latinos de Santa Ana) – a group of Latino-owned businesses in Santa Ana.
Día de la Bandera (Flag Day) is observed in Mexico on Feb. 24. Mike Gonzalez, a business owner and president of Los 32 por Mexico, said his group usually holds its event on the nearest Sunday to the holiday.
Sunday’s celebration started off with a salute to the flag of the United States.
“We wanted this to be a tribute to this great nation, which has taken us in and given us so much,” Gonzalez said.
It continued with a rendition of the Mexican national anthem, a lesson on the Mexican flag and its symbolism, and a procession of young women wearing traditional outfits from each of Mexico’s 32 states.
The day also included entertainment by ballet folklorico groups, solo artists and musical groups.
The goal, Gonzalez said, was to educate Mexican immigrants and their children about their heritage.
“We want them to be proud to be Mexican,” he said in Spanish. “We want parents to keep that umbilical cord to Mexico intact so that their children can grow up strong and knowledgeable about their rich culture.”
Proud to be Mexican. What the hell is there to be proud of. I’m not being slanderous here. America has not only produced a massive bounty of 20th century technical innovations, but she’s fed the world and helped save the Europeans from tyranny in not one but 2 world wars. She has been first in space, broken speed records, dominated world pharmaceutical innovation, cured numerous diseases.
I could go on for 3 pages.
What the hell do Mexicans have to be proud of. They were a 3rd world country until NAFTA in 1994, when our robber barons began loading them up with formerly American factory work. In many ways, Mexico is still a third world country.
What the hell does Mexico have to be proud of? Oil reserves?
What a freaking joke.