I wish people would calm down about Cinco de Mayo. So many of my friends are up in arms over the gringo celebrations. They can't wait to correct those that are celebrating. Some are well-intentioned and but some seem determined to rain on the parade at any cost. No, it's not Mexican independence day. No, it's not a national holiday in Mexico. Or France. But I have been in celebrations outside of Puebla for it. In fact, the neighborhood right outside of the airport in DF celebrates and holds up traffic on the 5th. I know this to be true as I almost missed a flight because of it. The funny thing is less than a year after the famous battle, France came back with a vengeance and gave Mexico Maximilian and Charlotte, which in turn turned Juarez into a hero. It's a fascinating era worth exploring and maybe even celebrating. (If you are interested, check out News From the Empire. It's a terrific book.) Rather than being shrill and pedantic about how we're doing it all wrong, how about we make better food and let people come to no other conclusion than the fact that Mexico is incredible? Why not use it as an opportunity to talk about Mexico's incredible history and how it ties in with ours? It's not enough, but it's a day dedicated to Mexico and Mexican food. That's a great opening. Rush in and take over instead of complaining. End of rant. Thank you for your very kind attention. You are free to disagree with me and we can still be friends.