TODAY'S TOPIC:

Cinco de Mayo
at the Crossroads

by
Natalia J. Garland

Print Version

Everyone is Mexican on Cinco de Mayo. Oops, wait, I mean: everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. That is how many Americans feel on this Irish Catholic holy day that has transformed into a panharmonic festivity. Will we see the day when everyone feels Mexican on Cinco de Mayo? Perhaps it is only today's Mexican American youth who can decide the fate of one of their favorite celebrations. While festivities as diverse as St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, and Chinese New Year have assimilated into mainstream society, Cinco de Mayo seems to become increasingly nationalized and politicized.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations range from the typical street fair (food, music, arts and crafts) to assertions of Mexican nationalism within American borders. In these latter instances, Cinco de Mayo no longer represents a specific cultural heritage or a neutralized inclusion of all Americans, but the political and cultural separatism of one group. Although there are other separatist groups in America (excluding fanatic jihadists for the sake of argument), most are not associated with advocacy for illegal immigration, with protest marches based on perceived grievances and entitlements, and with a pursuit of political domination.

This separatist tendency seemed to unfold at a California high school on May 5, 2010. Among the enrollment of 1,300 students, over 100 Mexican American students wore the colors of the Mexican flag in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Some also had the Mexican flag painted on their faces or arms. Five white male students, however, wore badannas and tee-shirts bearing images of the American flag. Apparently, some of the Mexican American students felt offended and intimidated by the boys' apparel. There were accusations that the boys taunted the Mexican American students, but this was not proved and there were no reports of any disciplinary action being taken regarding this.

Nevertheless, the Assistant Principal ordered the boys to remove their bandannas and to turn their American flag tee-shirts inside out. They were told that they could wear American flag tee-shirts any day except Cinco de Mayo because this day was supposed to be a celebration for the Mexican American students. It seems that the white students were expected to be culturally sensitive to the Mexican American students. (We should keep in mind that Cinco de Mayo is neither a school nor a national holiday in America.) The boys removed their bandannas, but refused to turn their tee-shirts inside out. The boys were sent home.

Some Mexican American students who had brought Mexican flags to school were told to put their flags away. None of the Mexican flag-carrying students was sent home. Although the school dress code prohibits bandannas, there is no restriction regarding decorated clothing unless it presents a distraction to the learning environment. The Assistant Principal's assessment was that the boys' American flag tee-shirts could be regarded as an act of provocation and could possibly cause fights to break out. Sending the boys home was regarded as a way to maintain student safety.

The next day, approximately 50 to 60 Mexican American students walked out of school to express solidarity with the Assistant Principal. These students apparently felt that Cinco de Mayo was the "only day" when they could show national (Mexican) pride, that the five boys had been disrespectful, and that their exclusionary day of celebrating Cinco de Mayo was a matter of equal rights.

It could be argued that the Assistant Principal placed cultural sensitivity above freedom of speech. There were other ways in which he could have managed any potential for student fights. When the American flag was regarded as offensive and the five boys were removed from school, when the national preferences of the Mexican American students was placed above student ethnic diversity and American patriotism, when cultural sensitivity was valued more than freedom of expression, then America stepped aside and permitted allegiance to a foreign nation. This is known as La Reconquista--loyalty to Mexico first and the non-violent re-conquering of the American Southwest for Mexico.

The unthinkable happened: the suspension of American autonomy for one day. Albeit it happened piecemeal and on a small scale, it nonetheless happened. This involved more than censorship. The rights of one group--the five boys--was put aside, and control was voluntarily given (by an American public school) to another group which appeared to represent an extension of Mexico's borders into America (via a celebration of what many consider to be Mexican nationalsim). The dangerous conclusion--and this was expressed by one of the Mexican American students--is that Cinco de Mayo is for Mexican Americans, and the Fourth of July is for all other Americans. Perhaps equally dangerous and astonishing is that only five boys expressed American patriotism.

If you think La Reconquista is an imaginary outgrowth of white supremacy, anger, hatred, and paranoia, then please read the following quotations.

The above quotations are historically inaccurate regarding the legitimacy of American ownership of the Southwest. All the quotations are evidence that certain Mexicans, Mexican Americans, educators, and members of the Democratic Party have wrongly asserted a Mexican right to the Southwest. When this attitude is also expressed or taught by the public school system, it means that generations of America's youth--from all backgrounds--are being indoctrinated by extreme multiculturalism and radical politics. It means that the American flag is just a flag, that its patriotic significance is relative even within American borders, and that its official status can be suspended for, at least, one day: on Cinco de Mayo.

Whether the Assistant Principal acted on poor professional judgment, lack of knowledge of school rules and the U.S. Constitution, or alignment with La Reconquista, his actions acknowledged a racial and cultural division within the student body, and a preference for Mexican nationalism along with a prohibition of American patriotism. Cinco de Mayo was elevated as a rightful institution of the American public school system--unlike St. Patrick's Day, Oktoberfest, and Chinese New Year because of its ongoing political context. Cinco de Mayo was regarded as equal to the Fourth of July.

If a segment, or perhaps even the majority, of America's youth has already been multiculturally and politically indoctrinated, then they will probably require cultural and educational rehabilitation to learn the facts of American and world history, to acquire allegiance to America first, and to find ways to cope with feelings of offense at others' freedom of expression. Only politically unbiased instruction--which is the responsibility of the public school system--can prepare students to think critically and to regulate emotions. Apparently, in some schools, it is precisely this type of instruction, supervision, and role-modeling that is lacking.

It is not Cinco de Mayo, or St. Patrick's Day, etc., that makes us who we are: it is, rather, American freedoms that make these celebrations possible. It is our Constitutional government, humanitarian values, and largesse that makes diversity possible and manageable under one flag--the American stars and stripes. Extreme multiculturalism and radical politics, however, would trick our young people into believing that it is preferable to live in America and enjoy these freedoms, opportunities, and benefits, yet remain unquestioningly loyal to Mexico first--a country that does not afford them the same qualities of life and in which they could not hope to thrive.

If Cinco de Mayo merges with Aztlan, then it all becomes a fantasy (regarding historical roots and current legality); and it has been given substance thus far only because of the reality of American tolerance. Our concept of tolerance, however, has expanded and strayed to include ultra sensitivity at the cost of autonomy. This has resulted in an American cultural and political disorientation. When the fantasy and the disorientation are confronted, such as seemed to occur when the five boys wore American flag tee-shirts, then the reaction is to blame and censor the so-called offense and to reinforce the walls around the fantasy until it is accepted as right and normal.

My hope is that, next year, the Mexican American students will decide to share their true heritage with others through inclusion and assimilation. They had the power this year--the Assistant Principal gave it to them, but some of them regarded May 5th as their day exclusively. It might have been more prudent to use this power to show solidarity with the entire student body and not narrowly with the Assistant Principal (who was in violation of the First Amendment and whose actions were later disapproved by the school district).

The only reason we can say we are all Irish on St. Patrick's Day is that we know we are all Americans first. Mexican American students must follow this model if they want peace with the larger American society. This can be accomplished if political extremists are not allowed to reduce them to a historically false claim on the world, and if certain educators are not allowed to instill student self-perception as oppositional to other groups or to the mainstream. At least, Mexican American students must empower themselves to make informed decisions regarding how they want to live. It will not be easy but, with a desire for intellectual honesty and mature identity, it can still be done. (Written 07/04/10: bibliography available.)

[NOTE: To read more about reconquista, see my essays Vodka Solves Nothing (written 04/14/08), Illegal Immigration as a Social Problem, Part I Section (1) (written 05/30/07).]

[ADDED NOTE: Insofar as some public school systems encourage Cinco de Mayo celebrations (by permitting class time to make posters and other decorations), I thought it might be helpful to offer some suggestions on how Cinco de Mayo could be transformed into an inclusive rather than a political event. In other words, how can Cinco de Mayo become more like St. Patrick's Day? Can higher standards be applied to Cinco de Mayo such that it is uplifted from extremist usurpation and historical inaccuracy? How can Mexican American students become pro-active in this process? Below are a few ideas on what Mexican American students could do on Cinco de Mayo in order to give this day a positive meaning for the entire student body.

(1) Perform a service for your school: pick up the trash, clean the cafeteria tables, sweep the sidewalks. (2) Sing some Mexican songs at lunchtime. If anyone is disrespectful, keep singing and be the better person. (3) Show extra respect to your teachers. (4) Recite the Pledge of Allegiance loudly and clearly--and sincerely. (5) Do not use any foul language--show positive leadership.

Additionally, all students might become more knowledgeable of American and Mexican history. Where did Cinco de Mayo originate? Is Cinco de Mayo a major holiday in Mexico? What are the facts of the Mexican-American War and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo? What did César Chávez really stand for? What rights are guaranteed under the First Amendment? Can you relate the case of the five boys to the cases of West Virginia State Board of Education vs. Barnette, and Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent Community School District?] (Written 07/07/10)

Until we meet again..............stay sane.