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NEW YORK - Congressman Charles B. Rangel released the following statement as he joined millions of Americans across the nation in celebrating Cinco de Mayo: "Today we celebrate Cinco de Mayo, one of the most important holidays for Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the United States and a celebration in which we should all join.
Cinco de Mayo, or the Fifth of May, celebrates the triumph of an ill-prepared, outnumbered Mexican army over professional French soldiers at The Battle of Puebla in 1862. The victory was a glorious moment not only in that nation's history but also for democracy in the entire Western Hemisphere. The battle helped legitimize the freedom of Mexico, a former European colony, as much as the Battle of Yorktown or the Battle of New Orleans did for the United States. That is why the day is revered almost as much as September 16, Mexico's official day of independence.
The holiday's message of overcoming adversity has been particularly inspiring for citizens and immigrants of Mexican descent living in America. It has become a signature celebration of heritage for these U.S. communities, a day to remember and honor all those who came to this country with the dream of making a better living for their children and loved ones.
For me, Cinco de Mayo gives me another opportunity to acknowledge and remember the contributions that our Mexican American neighbors, yet another vibrant, hardworking immigrant community, are making on our lives. To praise the work of local community organizations that are serving the needs of the growing Mexican population of Upper Manhattan by assembling the resources that these new Americans need to succeed in their adopted land.
In recent years, the growth of the Latino population has helped increase the popularity of this holiday beyond those of Hispanic descent. Mexican music, food, poetry and other cultural aspects are being celebrated coast to coast from Madison Avenue to Hollywood Boulevard.
Yet amid all the festivals and all the good cheer, let us not forget this day's message of triumph in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
Let us not forget that our respect and admiration for our fellow neighbors should not be limited to May 5. This Republican-led Congress should not be so hypocritical as to rave over tacos and enchiladas on one day and continue to push for draconian immigration laws the next.
Let us remember that the great contributions that Mexicans and other immigrants are embedded in the very fabric of American society. Their achievements can be seen in every area from politics to athletics, from entertainment to science, from the culinary arts to military service.
In celebrating Cinco de Mayo, we celebrate the fact that very often, in order to achieve greatness, we must do so by overcoming great odds and obstacles. But we can't lose faith. We can't stop fighting for what's right. That's a belief that stretches all up and down the Western Hemisphere, including Mexico."
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