As a transplant from New York to San Antonio, my early understanding of Texas and Mexican culture was, to put it mildly, lacking. I am the quintessential clueless gringo.
When I was first introduced to Cinco de Mayo, I genuinely believed it was a religious holiday. (Spoiler alert: It is not.) Then as I tried to get my bearings in the Alamo City, I confidently assumed it was just another extension of our massive Fiesta celebrations. Wrong again.
It took a healthy dose of local education to set me straight. Mexico’s actual Independence Day is celebrated on Sept. 16.
Cinco de Mayo commemorates Mexico’s unlikely victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla.
The French marched onto the battlefield with 6,000 highly trained soldiers — about 2,000 more than Mexico’s scrappy militia. Amazingly, the smaller, poorly equipped Mexican force defeated the larger, better-armed and better-trained French army.
If we really want to celebrate and honor Mexico’s heritage, we should learn more about its true meaning and cultural significance.
Take it from a recovering New Yorker: Cinco de Mayo is a great underdog story, and it is far more than just an excuse to drink margaritas and eat tacos.
Texas treats consensual adult prostitution as a felony — a Prohibition-style policy that does more harm than good.
Austin’s recent sting with 21 arrests underscores this failed approach. Criminalizing voluntary sex work is linked to higher rates of violence and sexually transmitted infections, according to a review of more than 130 studies by Johns Hopkins researchers.
Public opinion has shifted: Most voters — and two-thirds of those younger than 45 — now support decriminalization, alongside organizations such as the ACLU and World Health Organization.
The current system results in longer court backlogs, more prison overcrowding and fewer law enforcement resources to fight serious crime.
Like Prohibition, these policies reflect outdated, intolerant moral codes rather than evidence. They undermine public health and erode personal freedom at the expense of Texas taxpayers.
Texas policymakers should reconsider criminal penalties for consensual adult sex work and pursue evidence-based reform.
Steven Prohaska, Richmond