Kin ya'll say Atzlan?

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A University of New Mexico Chicano Studies professor predicts a new, sovereign Hispanic nation within the century, taking in the Southwest and several northern states of Mexico.

Charles Truxillo suggests the “Republica del Norte,” the Republic of the North, is “an inevitability.”

He envisions it encompassing all of California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and southern Colorado, plus the northern tier of Mexican states: Baja California, Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León and Tamaulipas.

Along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border “there is a growing fusion, a reviving of connections,” Truxillo said. “Southwest Chicanos and Norteño Mexicanos are becoming one people again.”

Truxillo, 47, has said the new country should be brought into being “by any means necessary,” but recently said it was unlikely to be formed by civil war. Instead, its creation will be accomplished by the electoral pressure of the future majority Hispanic population in the region, he said.


So, I guess they will teach us real good how to assimilate to their culture.

“First St. Patrick's Day parade took place not in Ireland but in the United States. Irish soldiers serving in the English military marched through New York City on March 17, 1762. Along with their music, the parade helped the soldiers reconnect with their Irish roots, as well as fellow Irishmen serving in the English army.
Over the next 35 years, Irish patriotism among American immigrants flourished.

In 1848, several New York Irish Aid societies decided to unite their parades to form one New York City St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Today, that parade is the world 's oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States, with over 150,000 participants.
Each year, nearly three million people line the 1.5-mile parade route to watch the procession, which takes more than five hours. “
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day


Mardi Gras
roots go back to ancient Roman festivals – a pagan fertility ritual that was combined for convenience with the Christian beginning of Lent. First celebrated in New Orleans in 1699 when it was a French settlement – banned with the Spanish conquest of some of the America’s, and later re-established.


“Halloween has its origins in the ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain (pronounced "sah-win").

The festival of Samhain is a celebration of the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture. Samhain was a time used by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and prepare for winter. The ancient Gaels believed that on October 31, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped and the deceased would come back to life and cause havoc such as sickness or damaged crops.”
http://www.halloweenhistory.org/

Kwanza – Rosh Hashanah – Hanukkah – Leif Erikson Day and several others NOT AMERICAN and those who celebrate them stay connected with their cultural roots and enjoy the mutual celebration with others who respect humanity (and may just like a good party).

THE POINT IS – our history consistently bares the remnants of many cultures that have made this land their home. With each influx of newcomers, we have had to learn tolerance, and eventually mutual acceptance and respect of each others culture and heritage.

Pride is worthless if it blinds you to the right of others to be proud. Pride has no noble cause if it can’t be shared.

It works better sometimes to put away the flag and make an outward gesture of acceptance – and maybe next year a Latina may be sporting an American flag bandanna and we will all enjoy celebrating Cynco de Mayo together. (I already do – it’s good to share pride and you learn something too.) OH WAIT – An American school and the kids are expected to learn something – well isn’t that a grand idea. Maybe we need to send some adults back to school, seems like some have not learned to think critically.

Not really - and St. Valentines Day was not started by Hallmark either. But hey, if having a beer means we accept and respect the heritage of others - then by all means, I say endulge.