Protesters Say Promotions Drown Spirit of Cinco de Mayo

Alarmed that the real meaning of Cinco de Mayo has been lost in a blizzard of beer promotions, a band of protesters on Thursday declared their intent to reclaim the holiday from alcohol companies and other commercial interests.

At a sidewalk demonstration outside the Hollywood offices of KLVE-FM radio, the group pushed for alcohol-free celebrations and called on county officials to withdraw the Spanish-language station’s permit to stage the Budweiser Cinco de Mayo Fest.

Now in its 11th year, the festival is one of the area’s largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations, drawing as many as 100,000 people to Whittier Narrows Recreation Area in South El Monte, a county property. This year’s event will be held Sunday.

While the main focus is on musical acts, critics say having a beer company as the title sponsor typifies the ways in which corporate interests are exploiting an important cultural holiday.

KLVE festival representatives had no immediate comment.

Bill Gallegos, one of the protesters at the Cinco de Mayo con Orgullo (Cinco de Mayo With Pride) demonstration, assailed the KLVE-sponsored event. “KLVE has broadcast this all over,” Gallegos said. “They’re promoting this ‘Budweiser Cinco de Mayo,’ ‘Bud Light Cinco de Mayo,’ and so in people’s minds, it becomes one in the same.”

Henry Roman, senior assistant director at the Department of Parks and Recreation, said the county decided against banning alcohol at the event, despite its policy against alcohol in county parks. He noted that consumption will be restricted to a fenced-in area.

Cinco de Mayo commemorates the date on which outmanned Mexican troops defeated the invading French in 1862 at the Battle of Puebla. In Mexico, where Independence Day is celebrated Sept. 16, Cinco de Mayo is a minor holiday. But in the United States, it was popularized by Chicano activists of the 1960s and ‘70s who sought to reassert their cultural identity. Since then, Cinco de Mayo has evolved into a symbol of Mexican self-determination and a celebration of Mexican culture.

But some Latino activists say the holiday’s cultural significance has been eclipsed by its reputation as a drinking celebration.

“Young kids don’t even know the history of Cinco de Mayo. [To them] it’s mostly just, ‘Oh, yeah--party time,’ ” Gallegos said.

The blame, critics say, falls on the alcoholic beverage companies that have directed more and more advertising dollars at the Latino community in recent years.

“There’s a lack of social responsibility” by the companies, Gallegos said. “It exacerbates the alcohol problem in our community, but secondly it really demeans and distorts the real history of the holiday.”

Many Latino activists charge that ad campaigns trivialize the culture by juxtaposing symbols like the Mexican flag and Mayan pyramids with images of margaritas and, even worse, scantily clad Latinas. Bars and restaurants add to the problem by offering drink specials such as 2-for-1 tequila shots that encourage binge drinking.

“What we’re also doing is creating normative behavior,” said Eduardo Hernandez, director of CalPartners Coalition, a substance abuse prevention group.

Research has shown that alcohol has had a disproportionately negative impact on people of Mexican origin, particularly males. National surveys have found that nearly a quarter of Mexican American men are considered heavy, problem drinkers, a higher percentage than any other ethnic group.