Dumb things people say on the radio: Cinco de Mayo

This is another I-can't-believe-he-just-said-that-out-loud moment, this one also from a few days ago, specifically May 5th, or as Americans like to call it, Cinco de Mayo (I know you're probably thinking to yourselves, Americans? Doesn't she mean Mexicans? but read on and I'll explain.)

After the idiotic Canadian statement I mentioned yesterday, I promptly changed the radio station, hoping to encounter smarter people on a new station. Again, I'm not sure where I landed, 94 point something maybe, but it seemed the two hosts were more careful in what they said... or so it seemed, that is, until May 5th. This is what was said:

Guy: "Happy Cinco de Mayo."

Girl: "And to you."

Guy: "What is Cinco de Mayo anyway?"

Girl: "I don't know, wasn't it a revolution?"

Guy: "or Mexican Independence."

Girl [laughing]: "I don't know."

Ummm... first of all, why would Americans celebrate Mexican Independence Day? Do we celebrate Irish independence? Or Japanese independence? Or for that matter, South African independence? Or the day England gave Hong Kong back to China? Um... nope. Now, to someone who also didn't know what Cinco de Mayo represents, maybe this wouldn't have been such an idiotic statement, but my sentiments are: why is Cinco de Mayo so big in America if 1) nobody knows what the day celebrates and 2) it has zero to do with America and 100% to do with Mexico? It's just an excuse to eat Mexican food and drink Dos Equis, right? Right.

Now, I did happen to know the true meaning behind Cinco de Mayo (which is neither a revolution nor Independence Day); I believe I learned it in one of my Spanish classes at Mars Hill, but regardless, for the sake for being sure, I did a quick Wiki search before silently slamming the pair for their complete ignorance. On Wikipedia, the first sentence which one reads, right after the title "Cinco de Mayo" says: "Not to be confused with Mexican Independence Day." Well, I guess his theory is out. I read on. Second sentence: Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for the fifth of May) is a holiday held on May 5th. Duh. I read on. "It is celebrated nationwide in the United States and regionally in Mexico..." Pause. Wait, what? Further down: "...a regional holiday limited primarily to the state of Puebla. Some limited recognition of the holiday in other parts of the country..." Cinco de Mayo is, as everyone "knows" a Mexican holiday, yet it is MORE widely celebrated in the U.S. than in Mexico? Interesting. That is something I didn't know.

Ok, so let me cut to the chase. Cinco de Mayo is the celebration/remembrance of the day Mexico won the Battle of Puebla (in Puebla, Mx) against the French back in 1862. Basically, the French tried to take hold of Mexico and the Mexicans said "no way, José..." or... well... whatever. There was a battle. Mexico won. Result: Cinco de Mayo.

Now why, you might ask, does America care about the outcome of the little battle of Puebla? Answer: it doesn't. In 2005 a resolution was passed to observe Cinco de Mayo as a way of celebrating Mexican-American heritage, just as St. Patty's day is a way of celebrating Irish heritage (whether you knew that or not). And there you have it. It really doesn't matter what Cinco de Mayo originally meant, in America it is celebrated for completely new reasons.

On a side note, isn't it odd how all the holidays "adopted" by Americans have primarily to do with drinking beer? I cite as examples Cinco de Mayo, St. Patty's, Oktoberfest...