CINCO DE MAYO with the United States in mind

You know, I'm all for celebrating my culture and being proud of it in all it's glory, but I'll be honest, as much as I like having "any" reason to celebrate, I've never been big on Cinco De Mayo. I am and always will be an American first and foremost. My father fought for this country and my brothers did too. My allegiance is to the United States of America first and foremost. I celebrate Fourth of July before Cinco De Mayo... It's just a personal thing. Again, I'm proud of my culture, and I respect what all my ancestors did to get us where we are, but I don't expect a free handout because of them by sitting at home or by taking to the streets, demanding rights that I need to prove myself worthy of first hand.

There has been alot of negativity connected with my culture these days, so much that alot of it has been disgusting at some point to me. The disrespect that has been shown to the American Flag, the demonstrations in the streets demanding "rights" that are felt "should" be just given and handed out to those that have not done much to earn it.

I say let's celebrate what our ancestors accomplished, but let's not expect a handout because of it, we need to continue their hard work, their ambition to make a difference.

I had a previous post and I'll stress something from it again,

"An American is one who believes in the responsibility of privilege. What he asks for himself, he is willing to grant to others; what he demands from others, he is willing to give himself."

An American is one who believes in democracy, not only for himself, but for all his fellow-Americans. By democracy he means not simply the rule of the majority but the rights of minorities; and those minorities have rights, NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE MINORITIES, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS.


Here's a bit of a history lesson on Cinco De Mayo.

What striked me immediately was the following passages on this website;

With this victory, Mexico demonstrated to the world that Mexico and all of Latin America were willing to defend themselves of any foreign intervention. Especially those from imperialist states bent on world conquest.

Yes, I know...this passage is geared politically, but if Mexico had such a victory and is so proud, why are so many Mexicans trying to come over to the United States? I know that this will probably piss off some of my own people, but I will stress my original statement... My allegiance is to the United States of America first and foremost. I'm not against working towards a better life or to make a better living for your family, but don't expect a handout because you are a minority.

Oddly enough, Cinco de Mayo has become more of a Chicano holiday than a Mexican one. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on a much larger scale here in the United States than it is in Mexico.

And my thoughts... (not that it matters to anyone but me), Chicanos are celebrating this holiday here in the United States freely... the freedom that comes from being an AMERICAN CITIZEN! Not a MEXCIAN AMERICAN, an AMERICAN CITIZEN.

I'll leave my soap box with these words;

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo with this in mind...

I BELIEVE IN AMERICA

I believe in America. I believe it became great because of it's faith in God, it's hope for independence and it's Love for freedom. I am grateful for America's glorious past: I am awed by its unbelievable present; I am confident of its limitless future. I do not apologize for the lump in my throat when I repeat the Pledge of Allegiance. I am not embarrassed by the tears in my eyes when I hear "The Star Spangled Banner." Like millions of Americans, I want a free choice, not a free handout. I prefer an opportunity to prove my abilities on the job rather than a license to demontstrate my frustration in the street. I am an old-fatshioned American with a new-found determination to do my part to make democracy work.

~~William Arthur Ward

We can all return to our normal daily routines now...