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Cinco de Mayo Marginalizes Non-Mexican Latinos
By Harry Kimball
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Posted May 5, 09 3:35 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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Cinco de Mayo has become a very visible celebration in the US, but the Mexican holiday’s prevalence is just one indicator of the marginalization of other Latino immigrants, the AP reports. The Mexican-American population is almost equal to that of all other Latin American immigrants combined, resulting in a focus on that country’s culture. But Cinco de Mayo “means nothing to us,” one Salvadorian said.
“The school system is more preoccupied with Mexico's history, and not the rest of Latin America’s,” he continued. While some are incensed at the perceived interchangeability of Latino cultures, others think a sense of unity is not unwelcome given the ongoing immigration debate. “Latino America in general has to change its mentality of competitiveness and we have to work toward of the well-being of all of us,” one Mexican immigrant said.