opinion

A Brief History of Lies Surrounding Cinco de Mayo

Cinco de Mayo: a holiday meant for wearing fake mustaches, sombreros and taking endless tequila shots, right? I mean, after all, that is what Americans have turned that holiday into. Limes go out of stock, the word tequila is tweeted more than necessary and there are margarita specials at all sorts of locations.

So that’s what the holiday must be about, right? Drinking Tequila and pretending all of us know how to speak Spanish?

Cinco de Mayo was concocted in California. The lies sting.

Cinco de Mayo didn’t become popular until the late-1980s when beer companies began exploiting the holiday for money (who would have thunk). So even though the holiday is meant to celebrate culture and Mexico’s defeat over France, it has become an Americanized holiday, used as an excuse for excessive drinking and the use of that sombrero you have in the back of your storage closet.

Welcome to college; let the truth come out people. Viva la Mexico!

That may be the extremely Americanized version, but Cinco de Mayo is actually a day that is meant to be used to celebrate the unlikely defeat that Mexico had over the French army after it had occupied Mexico. It may not be the Mexican Independence Day, but it is still a very important holiday. A holiday used to celebrate Mexico’s army, determination and strength.

Some do celebrate Cinco de Mayo in Mexico now with big parties and colorful outfits that express the culture that Mexico is so proud of.

So, with the great country of Mexico in mind, take that tequila shot that you wouldn’t normally take. Relieve some of your stress by taking a whack at the piñata in your neighbor’s backyard. Make margaritas and sing in Spanish.

Love the drinking games, love the tacos, hate the lies your parents fed you for 18 years. Celebrate Mexican culture through the holiday that originated in America. And be sure to hashtag it with “Cinco de Drinko.”

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