The following was originally posted about 4 years ago. I thought it worth a fresh read.
Originally Posted on May 13, 2010 by Larry Eppley

Much is being made of the celebration of Cinco de Mayo –  The Fifth of May.  The online discussion boards are heating up with strong opinions about a holiday that most people, including those with the strongest opinions, know nothing about.

Marcus SantaMaria and his wife Elena produce the online Courses with which I have learned Spanish as a second language.  Marcus, an Australian spent quite some time in Mexico, Elena’s country, and offers his “Anglo/Australian” take on this holiday. After you read this, I’ll add a few additional thoughts of my own.

A popular myth is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexican Independence Day.

Wrong!

Mexican Independence Day is actually September 16. In fact, it’s the 200 year anniversary this year.

So, what is Cinco de Mayo?

What really happened on the 5th of May was the Mexican army won a battle against the invading French army in the Battle of Puebla.

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the interior of Mexico in and around Puebla, but in other parts of the country it’s a yawn.

My wife, Elena, and I once went out in Rosarito, Mexico on Cinco de Mayo. We were expecting a party but the town was as dead as a dodo. We ended up crossing the border into the USA, headed for Old Town, San Diego and had a blast north of the border.

That’s the funny thing about Cinco de Mayo; it’s probably a bigger celebration in the USA than in Mexico.

In the USA, Cinco de Mayo has taken a life all of its own and is now a huge celebration of all things Latino. It’s enjoyed by Latinos and Non- Latinos and especially people who like to eat, drink and be very merry.

A few additional notes:

Most USAmericans do not know that Cinco de Mayo and Saint Patrick’s Day, are celebrations of Mexican-Americans and Irish-Americans, respectively. Neither of these celebrates the independence of the nations of origin.

Unfortunately as were the Irish before them, the Mexicans are currently being degraded, rather than celebrated.

There is one additional fact that needs expressing.  Had the French gained their foothold rather than being defeated by the smaller Mexican forces, the French could have become a supplier to the Confederate states, using this as an opportunity to permanently divide the United States and to legitimize their own presence in this hemisphere.

It is true that the French returned a few years later and imposed their rule on Mexico, at which time the United States were still united  and in a position to assist Mexico against the French.

Perhaps if we knew as much about the historical significance of Cinco de Mayo as we do the Alamo, we could regard our neighbors to the south with a little more respect.

Of course, if you are still holding your Confederate currency and think the South should have won the war, and feel compelled to wave the stars-and-bars at every opportunity, the value of the preceding will be lost to you.