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Few people understand the significance of el cinco de mayo. Some believe that it is the celebration of Mexico’s independence. Some believe that it is an opportunity to get drunk or buy things on sale. ¡LA GRAN VENTA DE CINCO DE MAYO!

The significance of el cinco de mayo is: It  represents the intrinsic will of a people to fight to remain a free and sovereign nation.

We observe it in the United States because it is one of the freedoms given to us under the Constitution. The freedom of expression and the pursuit of happiness take many forms.

Unfortunately there are those who will demean that which is an invaluable part of our culture.

I read somewhere where el cinco was celebrated as “El Drinko de mayo.”

Some of you may be too young to remember the song by José Alfredo Jiménez: "Llegó borracho el borracho.”

José alfredo vive en sus canciones, but not in that one. In Mexico as well as in the United States many felt that self-vilification was not acceptable. The song is no longer played by any radio station because the public felt that it was offensive to our culture.

We ran el borracho out of town along with the lazy Mexican - the little guy sleeping under a cactus (it is still seen in some places) - because it misrepresents our culture.

Let us not contribute to our own vilification but rather let us strive for the positive which reflects the richness of our culture; that which makes us proud and gives our youth a sense of dignity and of being rightful heirs to a legacy with a world of opportunities to excel in any endeavor.

If you don’t respect yourself, who will?