The Significance of Cinco de Mayo—

Well, here it is the 5th of May and I find myself thinking of the significance of Cinco de Mayo in the United States of America and its relationship to colonialism and oppression of the people of the Americas. Many people believe Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexico liberating itself from Spanish rule. Actually that is not correct. Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico liberating itself from French incursion and historically relates to the Americas driving back European imperialism.
There is a lesson here for today. We must be mindful that foreign interests still attempt to influence and perhaps negatively impact our nation’s sovereignty. Today we have cyber wars as well as wars on the ground. We must be mindful of both.
Below is a brief excerpt from Wikipedia’s description of the significance of Cinco de Mayo to our culture. It certainly gives us food for thought.
“The Battle of Puebla was significant, both nationally and internationally, for several reasons. First, although considerably outnumbered, the Mexicans defeated a much-better-equipped French army. ‘This battle was significant in that the 4,000 Mexican soldiers were greatly outnumbered by the well-equipped French army of 8,000 that had not been defeated for almost 50 years.’ Second, since the Battle of Puebla, some have argued that no country in the Americas has subsequently been invaded by any other European military force. Historian Justo Sierra has written in his Political Evolution of the Mexican People that, had Mexico not defeated the French in Puebla on May 5, 1862, France would have gone to the aid of the Confederacy in the U.S. Civil War and the United States’ destiny would have been different.” Fondly submitted for the Diversity Committee. Have a fine and free summer!