I hate Cinco de Mayo

There. I said it. I hate Cinco de Mayo.

I also hate St. Patrick’s Day, and it isn’t just because I hate excessive drinking. It’s because neither “holiday” is really rooted in celebrating anything cultural anymore. It’s just a flimsy excuse that white people snagged from another culture as a reason to drink. (And both are rooted in smearing other cultures)

Let’s go with St. Patrick’s Day first. So when the Irish came over during the famine, there was a lot of racism. Established white people were like… they’re stealing our jobs! They don’t belong here. So in building on the stereotype of Irish people being drunks, they turned a saint day (that yes, was celebrated here already) into the ultimate drinking holiday. Leprechauns dressed like Irishmen of the time showed up and they literally just doubled down on every stereotype they could. (You can always tell the cities with actual Irish populations because they actually do celebrate actual Irish culture)

Cinco de Mayo? It’s the date of the Battle of Puebla. It’s commemorated in Mexico with ceremonial parades. Here, it’s about cheap booze and tacos. And sombreros and like all sorts of racist garbage.

Now, I love tacos – probably more than the next girl. But it’s an excuse to drink.

Both of these holidays remove anything real associated with it, as an excuse to drink and celebrate stereotypes.

You might say that I’m overly sensitive (being Mexican AND Irish). But it’s how I feel. It’s obnoxious to watch white people get excited every year, talk about busting out sombreros and drinking cervezas. The same people who talk about “my people” taking their jobs, and building a wall to keep “my people” out.

Wanna know how I celebrate St Patrick’s Day? I stay home, make Irish food and drink real beer. Not dyed green nonsense. Real beer. And for Cinco de Mayo, I just stay home.

Newsflash: you can drink to excess any time you like. Keep your hands off someone else’s culture. (And if you’re going to celebrate, have a DD or call a taxi)