Some people think its a celebration of Karl Marx’s birthday May 5, 1818. Given Mexico’s version of socialism is to rob from the poor to give to the rich, I can see that. Then I read it was about the Mexican Army’s victory over the French in 1862 at Puebla (though they did turn around and lose, and France installed its puppet Maximillian anyway).
I love the way TCM celebrates it! Its as delicious as May 5, 2015 when then candidate Donald Trump ate a taco salad at Trump Towers while giving his online Cinco de Mayo Twitter message. The only thing missing was a sombrero. No, TCM on May 5th discovers Mexican movies like they discover black movies on Martin Luther King Day. Hardly condescending at all.
I couldn’t believe the good fortune of having Cinco de Mayo fall on Taco Tuesday! What were the chances? ¡Ay, caramba! TCM is playing ‘Sombrero!‘ – 1953, not to be patronizing at all. Now their travelogue is ‘Historic Mexico City‘. The feature following is: ‘Viva Villa!‘ Next up was ‘The Robin Hood of Eldorado‘. Now its ‘The Fugitive‘ – 1947, with Frito bandito Henry Fonda as a “revolutionary priest fleeing a central American dictatorship”. You couldn’t write this script.
No I thought to properly celebrate Cinco de Mayo would involve celebrating the endemic corruption of the Mexican government, owned and operated for the elite. The drug cartels who buy their safety and longevity from the corrupt government. A culture that celebrates animal abuse (bulls, fighting cocks and dogs). The cultural Catholics that tolerate a machismo rape culture. A celebration of the ignorance and sloth that seems a permanent fixture of Mexico.
I guess in the end what gets celebrated the most on Cinco de Mayo is drinking. Something they are particularly good at.
Politics and Religion 