Anthony Bryan Garcia Essay 3 Essays - Cinco De Mayo,

Anthony Bryan Professor Beope English 120 26 November 2017 Cinco de Mayo It is the fifth of May, or Cinco de Mayo, it is not an official holiday in Mexico, it is barely recognized there . Mexicans living north of the Rio Grande from mak e it their biggest cultural celebration of the year. There are about 20 million Mexicans and Americans with Mexican heritage now living in the U.S. Throw in the thousands of honorary Mexicans who just happen to like tequila, tortillas and mariachis , and the number increases to an outstanding amount . Even with all its red, white and green flag waving and cries of Viva Mexico, Cinco de Mayo is not an expression of hard-core nationalism . It is a day to celebrate Mexican tradition and the survival of that country's emigrants in the new land. Some union leaders will try to use the day as a weekend of street fairs, family parties and soccer games. Yet it is worth reminding ourselves, before the tequila goes to our heads, that Cinco de Mayo refers to an extraordinary imperial momen t in the history of the New World, when a Great Power in Europe thought to contest Mexico's right to exist as a nation. Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. Why is Cinco de Mayo an important date? I t is an important date because 4,000 Mexican soldiers fought and defeated the French armies of 8,000 men. The battle took place at Pueblo, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City. Today, Cinco de Mayo is a bigger holiday in the USA, than in Mexic o. A lthough the day is supposed to celebrate Mexican heritage, it has become Americanized , it is an excuse to party, eat and hav e a few shots of tequila in the name of Mexico. On t he day of Cinco de Mayo, many people get out of control, in so many ways. On May 4 th , 2016, a reporter by the name of Katherine Timpf of National Review Online state that, "The Oakland Police Department issued an apology for warning people not to drive drunk on Cinco de Mayo - because apparently, even acknowledging the fact that people often do drink on Cinco de Mayo is racist against Mexicans." Cinco de Mayo has become a night of fun and celebration in the United States and a night of danger. Drunk driving on Cinco de Mayo threatens not just those enjoying the festivities, but others on the road as well . T hese materials can help your community be aware of the increased risk of drunk driving around Cinco de Mayo. Using these tools, that can be distributed to fit your local needs and objectives will keep you and those in your community safe and informed . "increased DUI enforcement on the road, and people should remember to arrange safe transportation if they planned to celebrate " CITATION Tim16 \l 1033 (Timpf) . According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) 38 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities that occurred each year around May 5 th involved impaired drivers or motorcycle operators with blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of .08 and above. Numbers like those are enough to make anyone think twice about getting behind the wheel after tacos and tequila. Keeping those in mind, family members, kids, and other people that died from the drunk drivers. Facts show that on alcohol-intensive holidays like Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick's Day, statistics show that a person is killed every 51 minutes because of a drunk driving crash. More people drink on Cinco de Mayo than they do on St. Patrick's Day or Super Bowl Sunday. On straightforward way to make the holiday worry-free? Plan head. Make sure you have a game-plan for how you're going to be safe, especially for the trip home. Not sure how to celebrate? Fear not, brave partier, we have some tips. Traditionally, people celebrate in a variety of ways. There's no wrong way to do Cinco de Mayo, unless you get behind the wheel buzzed, if we haven't communicated that clearly enough. The holiday is a time to come together with your friends and cheer