cinco de mayo irony
As we were discussing St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo in class on Thursday, I couldn’t help but think about the irony behind some of the people celebrating these days. The same people supporting ICE and backing the way immigrants, especially Mexicans, are treated are often the first ones showing up to Mexican restaurants on Cinco de Mayo, turning the day into a party. They wear sombreros, take pictures, drink margaritas, and act like they’re suddenly appreciative of Mexican culture. But that “appreciation” feels surface-level at best. It’s hard not to roll your eyes, because it follows a familiar pattern: Mexican culture is embraced when it’s fun, but Mexican people are criticized, stereotyped, or pushed aside when it actually matters. Cinco de Mayo isn’t just an excuse for themed outfits, food, and social media posts. It represents a real moment in Mexican history, the Battle of Puebla, and symbolizes resistance, pride, and identity. Reducing it to a party strip away that meaning and turns something significant into entertainment. The contradiction becomes even more obvious when the same individuals who celebrate the culture are silent, or even supportive, when policies or rhetoric harm the people behind it. It raises a bigger question about what it actually means to “celebrate” a culture. Is it just about consuming parts of it that are enjoyable, or does it require respect, awareness, and support for the people who live it every day?
It's also ironic because when Mexican people celebrate American traditions or values, they get shamed or are deemed not American enough to have the right to celebrate these traditions, even though they work just as hard as any other American. I went around after class the day we discussed this all, and I started asking people if they were knowledgeable of the fact that Irish folk disapprove of how we honor St. Patrick's Day, and every single individual I asked was like, " What? Really?" You made a great point emphasizing how a lot of Americans care less about the tradition or holiday or what it really means as opposed to just enjoying the parts of it that are pleasing or fun.
ReplyDeleteWe can ask ourselves if we are participating in the celebration as appreciating the holiday for the Irish or Mexican community or are we celebrating because its a reason to congregate and drink with our friends. As with the Irish celebrating St. Patrick's day, some Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo, but it is not a nationwide holiday and is significantly less popular in Mexico than in the United States.
ReplyDeleteIn Mexico, the day is primarily a regional observance in the state of Puebla, where the historic victory over the French army took place on May 5, 1862. In most of the rest of the country, it is a normal working day with schools and businesses remaining open.