Anyone celebrating?

after work perhaps... and at home!!!!
too many people get crazy here in tulsa

Lilth, what is this holiday about?

I did Saturday. I ate a burrito and an elote. Yum.

No desire to celebrate a Mexican Holiday

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.

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!!

(not mine... got from the net of course)

Thank you very much....
I think we need few reasons to celebrate, and as hispanics are the second largest and fastest growing minority in our country, we can become culturally sensitive and celebrate. After all, it is about freedom. Aren't Americans supposed to be happy to celebrate that? I made soft tacos last night and my son used as many spanish words as he knew. Maybe we'll put up streamers tonight....

Oh hell yeah you know disssss!!!!!!!

Rob, Cherokee Street had a good Cinco de Mayo Saturday. They have a few music stages.

The food, the music, the people.

we have many candians too, I don't see a big hoopla for flag day, and boxer day

$1 Coronas all night...that sure gives me a reason to celebrate!!

Everyone in Dodge City except me me

Beef Packing plants are closed down
- Need to change the name of Dodge to

What's that phucking smell

I have no doubt they did. I am just waiting for the celebrations for all the other nationalities hollidays that have migrated here. We can be a society that can nature every one of the different nationalities, and celebrate everyones national hollidays

That sounds fun.

I like to take my child to Cinco de Mayo, the Greek festivals, Italian festivals, and German festivals and the International festivals.

We taste the different foods, talk about the different cultures, and see the different peoples. I don't want my child to grow up prejudiced.

We do. St. Louis has a Greek festival, the German Straussenfests, St. Pat's Day, Italian festivals, the International festival in Tower Grove Park, the Missouri Botantical Garden's Japanese festival and more.

Have you forgotten?

I'm prejudiced

Ya, no body celebrated my holiday for me... I'm pretty sure if we celebrated EVERY holiday, we would never have a non-holiday.

I dress up for flag day, often tell people happy boxing day... you know, any reason to celebrate. My mom buys little cards and gifts for everything. Heck, in RI we celebrated Victory over Japan Day... it is a state holiday!

I have no problem celebrating, I always get asian food for the Chinese New Year, go apple picking for Columbus day, you know. Life is too short not to celebrate. I'd rather these sorts of things than hallmark holidays. At least there is something behind it.

In Arizona we refer to this holiday as "CINCO de DRINKO"!

Thanks for more ideas. I want my child to have good memories. We don't have Victory over Japan Day. Wow, state holiday. I'm going to have to remember the Chinese New Year.
Apple picking too. I like any excuse to be outside.