Cinco de Mayo

I’m kind of in between about this Holiday, even if it is not a National American holiday there are enough Mexicans around here that you feel the affects of it or at least see them. Some of what follows is hard for me to believe. As a Southern man who had ancestors that fought on the side of the Confederacy, if this was a National holiday I don’t think I would be joining in on the celebration, much the same as being an Indian I don’t recognize Columbus Day.

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.
So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.
The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.
Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.
The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.
Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.
General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.
When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away.
The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.
Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

This part is especially hard for me to get on board with. I wish I had more faith in our written History but it has been proved too many times that the so called truth lies in the hands of the author.

It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?
In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.
Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That's why Cinco de Mayo is such a party -- A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

If Mexico is indeed so fond of America and has been throughout History, maybe someone needs to refresh their minds. (and ours as well)

The Alamo, originally named Misión San Antonio de Valero, San Antonio and the Alamo played a critical role in the Texas Revolution. (Texas gaining it’s independence from Mexico) 189 men (Americans) defended the Alamo from General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican Army of over 2000 soldiers during a 13 day siege on the mission. The 189 men considered as Texians were from all over the States, records show they were from Texas including Tejanos (Mexicans who originally occupied Texas), California, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi just to name some. The Texians defended the Mission knowing that death was imminent . No quarter was asked or given. At the end of the day on March 6th, 1836, all 189 were dead inside the walls of the Alamo. Over 1600 of the 2000 Mexican soldiers were also dead or laid dieing. Texas declared it’s independence from Mexico on March 2nd, 1836. The decisive battle that resulted in their independence was fought later near present day Houston at The Battle of San Jacinto on April 21st ,1836. The war cry that pushed the Texians onward that day was “Remember The Alamo”.

Also some years later there was another incident involving Mexico and America.

The Mexican American War between the United States and Mexico began with a Mexican attack on American troops along the southern border of Texas on Apr. 25, 1846. Fighting ended when U.S. Gen. Winfield Scott occupied Mexico City on Sept. 14, 1847. For more details go to The Mexican War

I have no problem with Mexico or Mexicans or any Race of people for that matter, but illegal immigration is getting out of hand. I don’t believe that making it a policy that immigrating illegally would be a felony crime either. Something does need to be done however. And certainly “A Day Without Immigrants” is not the way to go about things. Seriously who did this affect? I heated up a burrito in the microwave and was just fine. The people that it did affect were the immigrants themselves (lost wages) and the people who were taking advantage of the cheap labor anyway, haven’t they learned that you don’t bite the hand that feeds you. Missing school only hurt their children. A friend of mine and his coworkers went to one of their favorite Mexican restaurants on Monday and he said if it had been closed they would never go back there again. Hurting some one’s pockets hurts a lot more and a lot longer than hurting some one’s stomach. I believe the Media for some reason played it up more than it really was “waves of humanity poured though streets” Well this is getting longer than I intended so check out the photo and the caption that followed it and make up your own minds.

Demonstrator Lubian Piedras holds up a sign while wearing a sombrero at a planned protest in San Diego, California May 1, 2006. In what organizers called 'A Day Without Immigrants,' rallies across the country closed hundreds of restaurants, shops and factories. Construction projects were disrupted, day labor jobs went begging, children stayed home from school and waves of humanity poured through city streets. REUTERS/Fred Greaves

I hope to offend no one, that is not my intention at all, just thought I would throw something out there to think about.
Have a Good Day and if Cinco De Mayo is your thing, have a good time and enjoy that as much as possible, but please don't take my burrito.