Unimportance of Cinco de Mayo
I recommend novelist Oscar Casares' take on Cinco de Mayo in the Houston Chronicle.
The holiday, which has never really been much of one in Mexico, crossed over to this side of the border in the 1950s and 1960s, as civil rights activists were attempting to build harmony between the two countries and cultures. The date gained more attention in the 1980s when marketers, particularly beer companies, saw this as a perfect opportunity to capitalize on the celebratory nature of the holiday.
Also important for marketing:
Of course, if you happen to not speak Spanish, Cinco de Mayo is much easier to pronounce, no matter of how many margaritas are involved. So a facility with the language and how this lends itself to marketing products around the holiday certainly must also play a role.
Just imagine a beer company trying to fit Dieciséis de Septiembre on a beer koozie.
He brings up immigration as well. And really, is it asking so much for people to actually know what Cinco de Mayo celebrates?
5 comments:
I love it when novelists show off their prowess by using split infinitives. It really makes me want to rush out and buy all their oeuvre.
Care2.com : Basketball : The Phoenix Suns won to the San Antonio Spurs, wearing uniforms with the words "Los Suns" to honor Latinos. NBA Players Association against Arizona's Racist Law :
The "Los Suns" jerseys were worn twice in the regular season, both Phoenix victories. These jerseys bring Good Luck to the Phoenix Suns.
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Care2.com :
Sport politics
Cinco de Los Suns: The Team Stands Up to the Arizona Immigration Law
by Peaco Todd
May 6, 2010
http://www.care2.com/causes/politics/blog/cinco-de-los-suns-the-team-stands-up-to-the-arizona-immigration-law/
Some excerpts :
In 1936, Jesse Owens won four gold medals in “Hitler’s Olympics,” thus refuting the Führer’s claim of Aryan superiority and spoiling his intended display of “Master Race” dominance. On April 15, 1947, Jackie Robinson stepped out upon the field as a Brooklyn Dodger and the first African American to play in the majors, and I like to think that, despite the taunts and threats he received, his spectacular performance and personal grace caused a million cracks to appear in a million stony racist hearts, proving once and for all that racism has no chance against team spirit. Professional sports is full of such stories and many professional athletes, by first breaking the race/color barrier, have been seminal in transforming racist attitudes and judgments.
The Suns’ decision – based on a unanimous vote and full support of management – to wear their “Los Suns” uniforms as a Cinco de Mayo tribute “to honor [the] Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona, and our nation” is, as Yahoo!Sports-writer Trey Kirby says, “awesome.” He notes that while sports franchises frequently consider making political statements to be bad business – “as Michael Jordan put it, ‘Republicans buy shoes too’” – sometimes they have the cojones to take a stand. Owner Robert Sarver said when he suggested that the team wear their Noche Latina jerseys, “However intended, the result of passing the law is that our basic principles of equal rights and protection under the law are being called into question and Arizona's already struggling economy will suffer even further setbacks at a time when the state can ill-afford them.”
The Suns’ rivals in Wednesday night’s game 2, the San Antonio Spurs, attempted to demonstrate their solidarity by wearing their own “Los Spurs” jerseys but simply didn’t have the time to make that happen. But, hey, the thought counts and it’s clear that the NBA, as an organization, is fully supportive of these acts of protest. In a press release issued by NBA Players Association, Executive Director Billy Hunter declared:
“The recent passage of the new immigration law in Arizona is disappointing and disturbing. The National Basketball Players Association strongly supports the repeal or immediate modification of this legislation. Any attempt to encourage, tolerate or legalize racial profiling is offensive and incompatible with basic notions of fairness and equal protection. A law that unfairly targets one group is ultimately a threat to all.
Raciality.com
Vicente Duque
Guide to Arizona based companies - Boycott these : US Airways, U Haul, Godaddy, Diamondbacks, Cardinals Football, do not drink Budweiser, this is a business of Cindy McCain and John McCain
John McCain also owned a piece of the Diamondbacks Team, the Diamondbacks give a lot of Money to the Republican Party and receive the Taxpayers Money in Stadiums, many Services, etc ...
Boycott Arizona Cardinals (Football)
Do not go to Diamondbacks games - Do not buy Diamondback Merchandise.
Express your solidarity with Diamondback players such as Juan Guitterez, Gerardo Parra, and Rodrigo Lopez.
Ask MLB ( major league baseball ) to move the 2011 All Star Game out of Phoenix Arizona.
The total population of Major League players of color (39.6 percent) is comprised of Latino (27percent), African-American (10.2 percent) or Asian (2.4 percent).
Boycott all these :
Best Western International, Inc., Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
Cold Stone Creamery. Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
CSK Auto (Checker Auto Parts, Schucks Auto Supply, Kragen Auto Parts, Murray's Discount Auto Stores), Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
Dial Corporation, Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Discount Tire Company (America's Tire Company). Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation, Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Go Daddy. Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
Mesa Air Group (Mesa Airlines, Go!, Freedom Airlines). Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
P. F. Chang's China Bistro. Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
PetSmart. Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
Sky Mall, Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
Taser International, Headquarters: Scottsdale, Arizona
U-Haul. Headquarters: Phoenix, Arizona
US Airways. Headquarters: Tempe, Arizona
Youth, Minorities, Demography and Politics :
Milenials.com
Vicente Duque
I had heard that this was a National Holiday during the "Porfiriato" b/c Porfirio Diaz had fought at the original battle. And that it moved North with people fleeing the violence during the revolution. And since the revolution had a bit to do with getting rid of Porifirio, the Holiday was sort of "minimized" in Mexico, while it remained in the U.S. among the Mexican immigrants and their progeny who had stayed in the U.S.
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