Letter to the Editor: Americans Should Not Celebrate “Cinco de Mayo” pb

“EMBRACE THE AMERICA WE KNOW”

by Thomas Pastore, Vietnam Veteran, ©2014

(Mar. 24, 2014) — To my Fellow American and Citizen…Please Honor this request and also Pass this on to both Family and Friend!!

Subject matter:  This is a RespectfulRequest for your Non-participation,….Non recognition, and Non promotion of the day (commonly) known as “cinco-de-mayo.” This occurs every May 5th……Before you realize it, many naive Americans will be Disrespecting our History and the Tragedy that surrounds this era.Such recognition of this “cinco” day is a blatant performance of Disrespect towards our American History, our country and it’s people, our Military Veterans and our need to understand the War crimes against Americans and America. What right do we have to disregard and ignore the sacrifices of those who gave up so much, so we can cherish so much more.

I submit the following to you in the hopes that you will agree and consent to the wishes and request I have set before you. This request is not for my-self, nor for any personal whim or desire. This is strictly for the decency and solemn respect for those Americans, before us, who have given so much so their children’s  future and our present day America could flourish in our pursuits of Freedom and Happiness. We cannot and should not forget what they gave us, and how others shamed and desecrated America’s history, and the existence of these Faithful Americans.

America Remembers…The Alamo, and Day at Goliad

I submit the Historical facts that many of you may not know or understand. The facts surround the month of March 1836. A time in our History where the country to the south of these United States clearly committed War Crimes against Citizens of America, Americans, who simply wanted to be Free from Mexico’s oppressive rule. These Human violations occurred a mere 26 years before this “cinco” day that somehow we appear to “cherish” more-so than our own revered but tragic history of that same era. I present the facts to you that brings us both shame for the way our American brethren were treated, and even more Shame that we have forgotten them to “celebrate” the perpetrator of these despicable Crimes…

The Alamo

Many of us may know the basic story surrounding the Alamo battle, and how General Santa Anna over-ran this “Missionary turned into a Fort.”  We all understand that for 13 days these Texians from a young America withstood the battle with the overwhelming forces of General Santa Anna.  On March 6^th 1836, the Alamo was overrun, and all Texan/Americans were killed. Now some may say that these are the consequences of War. *What is not known to many Americans is that not all died immediately once overrun. There were some who became captive Prisoners of War. These prisoners were not allowed to remain alive and were murdered right on-site by the hacking sounds of the Mexican swords slicing through their bodies. **Written diaries even from Mexican officers even claim that (one recognized American),Davy Crockett, was one of those prisoners murdered after the battle. Americans wanting to live free in the Province of Texas, are captured and then murdered without any Military Tribunal, without Human compassion nor any display of Humanity’s discipline  from the Mexican Government. This type of performance is universally known as a War Crime. An atrocity on mankind, even under the most liberal “Rules of Combat.”  This War atrocity was further graduated into Infamy by the Mexican Government’s General Santa Anna’s direct orders to pile all the Texan/Americans’ bodies (both killed and captured),into human piles and burn them into ashes. A War Crime that compares to the Atrocities of such World War-2 enemies of the likes of Hitler’s’ Germany. No one ever answered for these crimes at any Tribunal. We as Americans have conveniently forgotten……**Yet now we make a “Day of Celebration” for the same Mexico that murdered Americans and burned their bodies (26 years earlier) simply because (we are told) that Mexico sought the same Freedom (allegedly on “cinco-de-mayo”), that Mexico DENIED Americans on the day of The Alamo??? ….We have ignored (country-wide), our own people who died, were murdered and burned to ashes at the Alamo, so we can celebrate some minor war battle that Mexico participated in against the French??? That is Blasphemy!!….BUT it doesn’t end there….

Day at Goliad

Sadly and with absolute apathy Mexico did not stop with atrocities against Americans. Their total disregard for Life or proper treatment of Prisoners of War or our dead continued on but a few weeks after The Alamo. Another Fort called Presidio La Bahia sitting 90 miles southwest of the Alamo  was just as important in the Texas’ fight for independence, and unfortunately even more Tragic than the dark history of what occurred at The Alamo.

Under the leadership of Col. James W. Fannin, these (American) men who  guarded this (recently taken)  fort until shortly after the fall of the Alamo, were ordered by  Gen. Sam Houston to abandon the post and fall back to Victoria to eventually join Houston’s army.

In a poorly planned escape attempt, Fannin and his men were caught on the banks of Coleto Creek by Mexican Gen. Urrea and his soldiers. After a drawn-out fight, the Texan men surrendered and were brought back to Presidio La Bahia as prisoners to await their fate. It is recorded by those few who escaped this tragedy,  that for those harsh 7 days (prior to the Massacre), they were stuffed into buildings that were so tightly packed with Human beings that they slept standing-up, since they could not attempt to lay down or fall down while sleeping.

It is recorded that Fannin and his men believed they would be held captive for a time before being released into the United States and told never to return to Texas.  And while Gen. Urrea appealed to Santa Anna for their clemency, Santa Anna was in no mood for mercy and ordered that all captives be executed.

On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, over 300 Texan soldiers were marched outside the fort walls and shot at point-blank range. Wounded soldiers who couldn’t walk were executed inside the Presidio courtyard with Fannin being the last to die. Legend says that before being killed, Fannin made three requests: (1) that his personal possessions go to his family, (2) that he be shot in the heart and not the face, and (3) that he be given a Christian burial. Mexican Soldiers proceeded to steal his belongings, they shot him in the face, and they burned his body along with the other 342 Texans who died that day. Those that were not shot, were run through with swords. **History has shown that World War-2 enemies such as Japan and Germany committed similar War Crimes, and with the exact criminal results of Mass Murders, and mass Burning of Human Bodies. **We don’t celebrate anything relating to those countries War Crimes?????

When we consider these vile acts of Inhumanity how can we “celebrate” just a few weeks after the anniversary of  both The Alamo and Goliad, the inconsequential , and embellished day called “cinco-de-mayo”????…..Have we lost total respect for ourselves and our Country? Has the Loss of Human Life been devalued to the point where we recognize the Murderers and not the Victims?

A total of 342 Texains died in the Goliad Massacre, making it by far the bloodiest day of the Texas Revolution.

Word of the massacre spread quickly to Houston’s men, inspiring them to add the battle cry “Remember Goliad” to the already fervent “Remember the Alamo.” Both of these tragic events inspired Houston’s army to fight stronger on the fields of San Jacinto. It is impossible to say if Texas would have won its independence without the passionate inspiration stemming from the events at both the Alamo and Goliad.

Should anyone think this was an minor, inconsequential month (March 1836), in America’s history then understand…..

The outcry from Americans, resulting from the Horrible War Crimes that Mexico inflicted, during this Fight for Freedom in the province of Texas , was the Catalyst that eventually brought us to the Mexican / American War……… America’s victory of that War, gave to us the whole states of California, Nevada, Utah, as well as parts of New Mexico and Arizona.

Mexico eventually surrendered the Province of Texas also.

 **The territories of Texas at the time included present-day Texas, as well as parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.

Conclusion

Where do we see the need for celebrating a minor inconsequential day in the history of Mexico, and ignore and disrespect some of the most tragic times in the “Making of America.” Have we become that casual, disrespectful, and apathetic toward our country and our own People that we don’t care for all the sacrifice our early American family has done  for us?  Why do we “pay homage” to a historical murderer and desecrator of Americans, and not even have the time to show reverence, and give solemn prayer to those that gave us a better way of Life?

Footnote* The “cinco-de mayo” battle actually happened because Mexico refused to pay France back the money they owed them. They simply and Publicly refused to pay  France, who graciously had tried to help them after their own internal strife. This was how they repaid France.

I am truly ashamed at what America has become, but I hope you will join me in simply walking away from these misdirected, and misinformed  types  of celebration that has been festering in America relating to this embellished day known as “cinco-de-mayo”…… When those American businesses who choose “Profits over Patriotism,” and  American “consumers” who consider the raising of Blood-filled glasses in False celebration, as a preference to giving some Respectful Reflections, Prayer, and Thanks to those who gave their lives for us, then we are truly on a path of self-implosion.

Please Walk away from “cinco”, and the dark history behind it, and embrace the America we know, and should Love. Thank You.