Cinco
de Mayo not a holiday
Cinco de Mayo is a day when many people,
especially young people, head to the local
bars or their favorite Mexican restaurants
to purchase American and Mexican beers that
are manufactured in the United States.
We celebrate Cinco de Mayo in the name of
what? Because it is Cinco de Mayo, why else,
right? Wrong. OK, because it’s Mexican independence,
right? Wrong. All right, we celebrate Cinco
de Mayo in Los Angeles because we are grateful
that this was the day Mexico defeated the
Spanish conquerors. I am correct this time,
right? Wrong!
May 5, 1862 — Cinco de Mayo — was included
as a national holiday in the Mexican calendar
because on May 5, 1862, President Benito
Juarez and one of his generals, Porfirio
Diaz, defeated the French in their attempt
to invade Mexico.
During this period, Mexico had a secular
government. The secular government was implemented
after the Liberals defeated the Conservatives
in the War of the Reform. However, the clergy
and some other groups such as the conservative
monarchists were unhappy with the liberal
government because their position in Mexico
was weakened, politically and economically.
In France, Emperor Napoleon III was in power
and his empire consisted of his claims in
Algeria, his implementation of French colonies
in West Africa, stationing troops in Lebanon
and giving assistance in defeating Russia
in the Crimean War. But like many world
leaders, they never became satisfied and
Emperor Napoleon III had direct intentions
to conquer Mexico.
On May 5, 1862 the French were suprisingly
defeated by the Mexican army in the city
of Puebla. Porfirio Diaz escalated into
a national hero because of his role in this
battle, and he would later serve as president
of Mexico. Benito Juarez, unsatisfied with
conservative monarchists and church officials
in their role in supporting French invaders,
issued a decree that had severe repercussions
for citizens who act against the Juarez’s
Mexican government.
Unfortunately, for Mexico, the French army
returned a year later and defeated the Mexican
army. France implemented a French monarchy
in the nation of Mexico. The monarchy lasted
about three years, due to Juarez and his
Republican army defeating the French army
troops and the Mexican imperial troops.
Mexico got rid of another empire in Mexico
and it would be the last.
In a nutshell, this is the history behind
our famous Cinco de Mayo non-holiday. Unfortunately,
this holiday is a horrible representation
of Mexican identity. What is more insulting
is that people celebrate or see it as an
excuse to get drunk. Cinco de Mayo in Los
Angeles is commercialized and, in the simplest
terms, it’s a joke.To celebrate the holiday
in its pure form would actually be fun and
insightful. Unfortunately, we celebrate
the holiday by going to El Torito and gulping
Tequila Jack Marguiritas and Corona beer.
For various reasons that I am unaware of,
we like to Americanize foreign holidays,
customs, foods, etc., but I choose not to
celebrate Cinco de Mayo and Mexican holidays
in an American fashion.
Oscar Montealegre is a journalism major
at Cal State Long Beach.
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