The Writers Section was forced by the elemental power of gray rain from their usual place by the Fire Ring down behind the barn. The gray skies provided one of the motivational spirits in the circle. A couple members looked a bit under the weather, which is to say that it was the same weather we were all under, though protected inside the bunk house with the aroma of Chock Full O’ Nuts wafting from the percolator in the kitchenette. This particular weather pattern had something to do with the celebration yesterday.
That sparked desultory conversation about cultural appropriation, which is to say overindulgence in some Mexican products in celebration of yesterday’s anniversary of their 1862 victory over the Second French Empire at the Battle of Puebla.
The victory of a smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force against the larger and better-armed French army is inspirational, of course, but our own nation, nearly a century old at that point, was more concerned with events closer to home. The Battle of Williamsburg was fought on the same day with inconclusive results in our civil war.
General McClellan led about 41,000 Union troops against 32,000 mustered under Generals Johnston and Longstreet of the Confederacy. The “inconclusive” verdict on the pitched battle involving 73,000 people would not appeal to the dead, only to the inconclusively wounded. Total casualties on that day were nearly 4,000: 2,283 Blue and 1,682 for the Gray.
In the fighting in Mexico, the heroic defenders of the town of Puebla lost about a hundred soldiers, which the French left 500 troopers inert on the field. Mexican independence was not achieved on that day. They do that on 16 September based on something else they consider more conclusive.
The American celebration of the Mexican battle is a symbolic celebration promoted heavily in the 1960s by activists who, in part, “identified with the victory of indigenous Mexicans over European invaders during the Battle of Puebla.”
There is a larger context to it, of course, but to avoid further appropriation of a Mexican event celebrated there with about the same passion as the Battle of Williamsburg, we will celebrate today- el Sies de Mayo- as symbolic of yesterday.
Considering the relative inconsequence of both encounters, it is interesting that many Americans now view the annual holiday as a day to celebrate the inequities of farm labor provided by Mexicans in America a hundred years after the battle with the French. We have been allies, enemies and saviors of France ourselves, depending on the year, so it makes sense.
“So, you had an article about the Russian social demographic problem, and how it is reflected in the Army they have available to deploy to a war they started with broken tanks and trucks. Want to go with that?”
“Nah, we have a better one. The heat wave in India will hurt crop yields, and impact distribution and cost in fertilizer sales here in the US. Not to mention the impact of war in the breadbasket of Europe. We will complain about food prices, but there is likely to be hunger worldwide later this year.”
“So we are going to increase the amount of corn we will turn into ethanol while the Russians sell real oil and cut off Ukrainian wheat production.”
“Logical. Like selling our Strategic oil reserve to Europe?”
“Well, the Indian situation appears more related to weather, and the European shortage appears to have a lot to do with their Green energy policies.
“Doesn’t it take thirty years of observational data to turn weather into climate?”
“Don’t get picky. We have to deal with the crisis we have at the moment, even if it is partially caused by our reaction to some other crisis we had last month.”
“El Seis de Mayo!”
“You are right. Results are inconclusive, except it looks like some folks are going to be hungry later this year.”
“Except here. It will just cost a lot to get to the grocery store.”
“Nah. Amazon says they will deliver.”
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