About Cinco de Mayo

[Strider]

As a resident Mexican, I just wanted to give everyone a friendly reminder about Cinco de Mayo.

Ahem.

It is NOT Mexico's Independence Day. Rather, it's a celebration of the Battle of Puebla on this day in 1862. After becoming ravaged from within by war in the 1840s and 1850s, Mexico had accumulated enormous debt to a few different countries. When they couldn't afford to make any more payments, none other than Napoleon Bonaparte took it upon himself to utilize the stalled payment as an excuse to plant the seeds of empire, sending his nephew Archduke Maximilliam of Austria to take over the country.

Naturally, Mexico wouldn't have any of that. Puebla proved to be an enormous turning point, when the ragtag Mexican army defended the city despite being outmanned, outgunned and out-trained. They beat the French back and solidified their sovereignty once more.

Cinco de Mayo isn't as celebrated nationally as much as it is in the state of Puebla, obviously, but it's still a big deal south of the border and here in California. It's a commemeration to my ancestors, thousands of hard-working soldiers.

Remember, knowledge is power. You can't say you aren't enlightened.

[Rainecloud]

That's great! Best of all, it doesn't affect me one bit.

[Kirobaito]

We're having a program today for all foreign language students. Meh...I don't take a foreign language, so I'll probably be the only person in my 6th and 7th period.

[Psychotic]

So, what you're trying to tell us is that Cinco de Mayo is Mexico's independence day?

[Kirobaito]

September 21st, 1821 was Mexico's Independence day. France tried to take over Mexico in the 1860's, but they lost that fight (What else is new?)

And El Mariachi, it wasn't Napoleon Bonaparte; He had died 50 years earlier. It was his grandson/nephew (don't remember which), Louis Napoleon.

[Psychotic]

So you're saying that Strider lied to us twice? I'm... shocked!

[Kirobaito]

Nah, only once (about the Napoleon thing). He's starting to get a somewhat-clean conscience.

[Strider]

*sigh*

[Rye]

Happy Cinco de Mayo! In celebration of it we all made a huge congo line in school down the hall way. It rocked. <3 @ holidays that let us do stuff like that.

[Shlup]

*feels educated*

Thank you, Matt2.

*goes to drink and yell in Spanish to celebrate*

[Dragonflame]

How come when KB posts about the Alamo it turns into a flame war, but when Strider posts about Cinco De Mayo, no one is bothered? Not that I have anything against Cinco De Mayo, I just think it's ironic.

[Kirobaito]

Because the Texans were rebelling, as opposed to the Mexicans being invaded. There's a difference.

[Dragonflame]

Oh, good point. Well, the Mexicans sort of invaded.

Why am I arguing about this? I don't really care.

[Lindy]

I'm not enlightened.

*sombrero celebration*

[Yamaneko]

We only celebrate it because we stole the land from the Spanish, who in turn stole it from the natives, who in turn stole it from the earth, who in... happy Cinco de Mayo, todos.