Events
that I suspect most of us weren’t really aware of. And even if we did, I
suspect we did things and engaged in activities that were little more than
trivial.
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| Mexican 'Day of the Dead' imagery, combined with Star Wars visuals |
That
holiday was Sunday. And I saw far too many notices for assorted taverns that
make it clear they viewed the day as an excuse for drink specials meant to get
potential customers into their establishments.
Where
they can get them to spend more and more money while drinking more than would
be advised.
Of
course, if we think that is too trivial a way to spend the day, I can’t help
but think it’s downright serious compared to Saturday – which was Star Wars Day.
A
DAY MEANT to give all of the fans of the Star Wars films a chance to celebrate
and act as though there is nothing incredibly geeky or lame about the world in which
they like to indulge themselves.
Personally,
it strikes me as being about as phony as the fact that Feb. 9 was regarded as
National Pizza Day – which I’m sure the restaurant industry thinks is fully legitimate
if it can get people to eat out at their local pizzeria (and spend money too).
Saturday
got the designation as being Star Wars Day because it calls on May 4 – which fanatics
of the film think is all too apropos because, in their minds, it sounds just
like “May the force be with you.” The cliché phrase that Star Wars fans think is
some sort of philosophy with great meaning in everyday life.
Although
I’ll give proponents of this holiday one bit of praise – at least they’re not
making a “special” day out of something like Confederate Memorial Day (which will
be Friday in South Carolina); celebrating those who were prepared to undermine
the U.S.’s existence to support chattel slavery and their own hang-ups over who
“belongs” here.
BUT
SATURDAY WAS a day for those people who have spent far too much time following
the Star Wars films and have made a point of viewing them every chance they
get.
Something
that I must admit I haven’t done. I saw the original film when it came out in
the movie theaters, along with the sequel. But I never viewed any of the
follow-up films as being required viewing, and in fact haven’t seen the most recent
of them at all. And don’t feel like I’ve had any loss in my life as a result.
So
I suppose the point of Saturday was lost on me. It certainly wasn’t a holiday
designed with me in mind. And for all I know, the Star Wars geeks probably
wonder why I pay any attention to something like baseball (where I couldn’t
help but notice on Friday when I went to a ballgame, the Chicago White Sox were
selling t-shirts that combined team imagery along with Star Wars characters).
Perhaps
the key to the White Sox’ rebuild into a championship-quality ball club is that
they can gain a mastery of the so-called force that supposedly controls all
aspects of life?
BUT
WHILE I find Star Wars Day to be semi-humorous in its triviality, what came the
following day almost offends me.
For
the fact is that May 5 in Mexican history commemorates the events of 1862 when
an insurgency movement attacked a military garrison in Puebla, near Mexico
City. It was in that era when France tried to regain a colonial presence in the
Americas, and thought that the uncertainty caused in Mexico following the 1840s
Mexican-American War left it susceptible to being taken over.
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| As ridiculous as the holiday itself |
Cinco
de Mayo commemorates a military victory that inspired the Mexican people to
think they were capable of standing up to the major world powers. The very
spirit that is meant to be celebrated by those people wishing to show off their
spirit of Mexicanidad. And which offends the sensibilities of those people who most approve of this Age of Trump our society is now in.
Which
certainly doesn’t sound anything like the people who partook in the piñata
party cruise held Sunday afternoon by the Chicago Yacht Events had in mind as
they sailed around Lake Michigan,
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