Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

If you're downtown tomorrow afternoon, be sure to check out the Cinco de May block party between King St. and the Square all along Main St. And be sure to stop by the King Street Church booth, which will be near the KSC Main St. office. It should be a really good time.

If you're wondering, Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of the unlikely victory of Mexican forces over the invading French army in 1862. It is not Mexican Independence Day, which is celebrated Sept.16. You can read an excellent article here.

What I find most interesting about the history of Cinco de Mayo is that this French invasion was taking place during the middle of the U.S. Civil War. There was a significant threat during the Civil War that France and England would join forces with the Confederate army in order to secure cotton imports. Had the Mexicans not held off France in 1862, France would have been in a very good position to help the Confederates and there may have been a different ending to the war in the north.

So if you love the U.S., you should be thankful for Cinco de Mayo and our neighbors to the south! Viva la Mexico!