Posted on 04/26/2018 10:47:18 AM PDT by cll
Around this time every year, Cinco de Mayo promotions start popping up around the United States, and regrettably now, in many parts of the world. Except the Spanish-heritage world, of course.
What? Isn't Cinco de Mayo THE top, all-Hispanic-culture-encompassing "holiday"? Why, it is also around this time that my Spanish-heritage brethren (aka, Hispanics, or the loathsome label, Latinos) start getting Cinco de Mayo greetings from Anglos and others, and start posting their absurd and often hilarious experiences on social media for the enjoyment of us spiks. A Puerto Rican U.S. Air Force Major being designated as the base's Cinco de Mayo celebrations coordinator. A Cuban doctor being brought Mexican-themed gifts by his Anglo patients. Bars promoting Chihuahua dog races. In all, a total hispandering fest.
When this started to become a thing, back in the 90s, I guess, I asked my Puerto Rican wife - who had lived in Mexico for five years - what was the big deal with Cinco de Mayo, wasn't Mexican Independence Day on some other date? She had no clue, so she started calling friends in Mexico who told her that it was something they observed in Puebla, something to do with a French invasion.
So it turns out, that Cinco de Mayo is a minor observance in Mexico, not even a real holiday, commemorating the Battle of Puebla which virtually no one outside of that city had heard about.
How did this footnote in Mexican history became a symbol for all Spanish-heritage peoples in the U.S.? The hell do we know. I think it has to do in part due to the idiocy of pigeon-holing all "Hispanics" within a Mexican framework, in the false narrative that all of us of Spanish heritage are a homogeneous demography. In part also due to how gullible the general public is to marketing campaigns who cleverly invent gimmicks such as these to sell lousy beer.
What's more incredible, though, is how governments and other public institutions fall for these ploys also, to the extent of making this day an official holiday or celebration, and wasting taxpayer dollars in observing this, the other made-up holiday.
So, a word to the wise for my Anglo, African, Far Eastern, Irish, German, Scandinavian, Italian, and other hyphenated American friends: do us a favor and if you encounter a Hispanic/Latino/Puerto Rican/Cuban and other non-Mexican, Spanish-heritage person, DO NOT wish him a Happy Cinco de Mayo if you don't want him to give you a puzzled look, as a minimum, or even laugh at your face.
And yes, no self-respecting Mexican that I know would even drink Corona. At all.
Not sure what you're eating for breakfast but it's obviously laced with something good.....never heard of Cinco de Mayo until I was in an area with lots of Mexicans - you may celebrate it but for the most part, it's Mexicans and based on a Mexican army upset over a French army ...... I actually did a search on it for my information - you must have pulled your "not dumb" info from a dark and smelly place.
You are lying!!!!! I was literally in Mexico on May 5, 2000 and was hoping to have the bars set up to celebrate it. The owners said it’s not celebrated here. It’s an American holiday. You need to grow up. Kids lie. You should be beyond it by now.
Cinco De Mayo became a big deal in America because Budweiser had purchased the rights to brew and distribute Corona in America and sales were disappointing. So they started flipping through the calendar until they found a “holiday” they could use to promote Mexican beer and walla. Made enough money for Corona to not renew the contract and self distribute.
I never see this level of whining for St Patrick’s day, another beer holiday that is largely ignored in its “home” country. People only whine about the fake Mexican holiday.
Because we like to drink, and Mexico doesn’t give a damn about the holiday. Stop gritting your teeth, it’s an AMERICAN holiday with a Spanish name.
Notice nobody ever gets this pissy over Octoberfest or St Patrick’s Day. Heck I’ll even hoist one for Bastille Day and Guy Fawkes, a drink is a drink, people should enjoy themselves more.
So true. Even conservatives are fuddy duddies. I shutter to think how some of the people live with a stick up their butt. Probably very horrid lives.
Celebrate because the french lost.
:)
No seas ridículo.
Not for me it isn’t. I gave up the booze 28 years ago. Regardless, I ain’t about celebrating anything having to do with Mexico.
You are nuts - do some research....or go back and verify with the Mexican bartender; he’s obviously the end all when it comes to accurate information.
Of course it DOESN’T have anything to do with Mexico. That’s just your sad obsession. It’s an American holiday, invented by Budweiser. Sorry you’re too damn prejudice to understand simple facts.
Oh no the prejudice is coming straight from bub. You hate everything Mexican, you said so, THAT is prejudice, pure and simple.
We don’t celebrate Bastille Day because Budweiser never subcontracted for any French beers. We celebrate Cinco de Mayo for the exact same reason we celebrate St Patrick’s Day. Another non-holiday in its supposed native land, but it sells a lot of beer Budweiser once distributed. Same reason Oktoberfest has become a thing here (at least that one’s also a thing in Germany).
Most of our modern culture was invented to sell things. Santa Claus: Coca-cola and Sears. Thanksgiving Parade: Macys. Copyright laws: completely rewritten at the behest of Disney. Welcome to reality you prejudice idiot. EVERYTHING in this country is to sell something. If that bugs you, maybe you should go to Mexico, they aren’t nearly as commercialized.
I propose for us Polish-Americans we need to start celebrating Kosciuszko’s birthday.
If it wasn’t for holidays the Mars family would love in a much smaller house
First you gotta figure out what you’re gonna sell. And maybe find something easier to pronounce. Maybe Lech Walesa, everybody loves hims.
“You’re damn right I hate Mexico and it’s people.” That’s called prejudice. Sorry you can’t own up to it, but insulting me won’t change the facts.
Prejudice? No, it’s called reality, face up to it. When Mexicans start caring for their own people and respect my county then my attitude will change, Mr. Self-Righteous. By the way, anyone ever tell you self-righteousness is just a phony form of respectability?
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