The Pride

Issue date: 5/5/09 Section: Faces & Places

Cinco de Mayo is often celebrated in the United States with big parties and lots of people. It is a U.S. holiday and can be confused as Mexico's Independence Day. It is rarely celebrated in Mexico for the date is not as important as September 16. September 16 is Mexico's actual Independence Day and its significance is far more important than Cinco de Mayo.

Cinco de Mayo marks the victory of the Mexican Army over the French at the Battle of Puebla. The French army was in Mexico with the intention to create an Empire under Napoleon III. In 1862, when the French army refused to leave Mexico, General Ignacio Zaragoza ordered about 4,500 Mexican soldiers to defeat the French army. The Mexican soldiers were outnumbered two to one and were still able to defeat the French.

In the U.S., the Battle of Puebla came to be known as Cinco de Mayo and many people confuse it as Mexico's Independence Day.

Over time, Cinco de Mayo has become much commercialized and many people see this holiday as a time for fun, dance, and drinking. Unfortunately, Cinco de Mayo is highly advertised to mainly bring in money to products. Around the time, endless advertisements of alcohol are seen and the focused effort has served the industry well.

Alcohol-industry spokesmen say their advertising is targeted at responsible, legal-age drinkers, but that's not the message seen from the promotional blitz that has led up to today's Mexican-American holiday, Cinco de Mayo. When images of five attractive young Latinas, beers in hand, flirting with "a guy named Mayo," or an offer by Sol beer to "taste the Sol of Cinco," the image pictured is of ethnic pride being used as a marketing prop to encourage drinking among Latino and Chicano youth. Cinco de Mayo should be celebrated for the victory and strength the people had during that battle and not be misconstrued for Mexico's independence. It also shouldn't be taken advantage of to promote alcohol.

Mexico's Independence Day occurred on September 16 when in 1810, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, a local priest, led his people to rise up against the Spanish Crown. Since the early 1500s, Spanish conquistadors came to Mexico taking over the local rulers and claiming the land for Spain. They enslaved many Indians and looted what they could of Mexico's treasures. For over 300 years, Mexico, then called New Spain, was a part of Spain's empire.

When Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla started a revolt against the Spanish rule in 1810, he and his untrained Indian followers fought against the Spanish. His revolt was unsuccessful and Father Hidalgo was executed. Soon after Hidalgo's execution, Father Jose Maria Morelos led the revolutionaries. Unfortunately, Father Morelos failed and was also executed.

In 1821, after the Mexican-born Spanish and the Catholic Church joined the revolution, Spain was finally defeated.

Mexico celebrates their Independence Day on September 16 every year, the anniversary of the start of Father Hidalgo's revolt. Even though Miguel Hidalgo y Castillo and Jose Maria Morelos failed in their attempt to free Mexico, they still are symbols of liberty and patriotism.

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