A DAY WITHOUT TEQUILA......

Can America survive?

Today is May 5th, otherwise known as Cinco de Mayo.

It’s a celebration for Mexico.

It’s a day beloved by Mexicans (and bar owners alike), who commonly mark the occasion by consuming mas quantities of tequila. For years, many Americans have participated joyously, showing their solidarity by embracing an excuse to get drunk, and an opportunity to wear cheap, straw sombreros.

In recognition of the immigrant protests that swept the nation on Monday, we’d like to propose having “A Day Without Tequila.” No march required. No cries for amnesty. No demands. You don’t have to take the day off from work. It’s more of a symbolic gesture.

Furthermore, it’ll send a message to the “leadership” of Mexico. El Presidente Vicente Fox, who does nothing to curb the illegal flow of immigrants across the border into the U.S., and in some ways is even complicit, may not like the economics of less consumption.

According to P.J. Stone: “[T]equila sales in the United States increase[d] more than 1,500 percent between 1975 and 1995 — making the US the world’s largest importer, accounting for 90 percent of all tequila exports. In fact, tequila is now the fastest growing spirits category in this country. Everyday, new brands are entering the marketplace — in 1998 alone, two dozen new brands of tequila appeared on the market.” The numbers today are even greater.

[Note: we were at Costco the other day and a bottle of Don Julio was priced at $80. At Costco! Ay-ya-yay!]

And because of tequila’s colorful history, including murder, exploitation of the poor, crime and international intrigue, boycotting the beverage is an issue even liberals might support.

Just as long as they don’t go there to protest in public because, unlike us dumb Yankees, Mexico doesn’t tolerate dissent from foreigners. And why should they. They’ve got enough problems to deal with, just like we do.

UPDATE:
Immigration Debate Colors Cinco de Mayo
Toasting Tequila on Cinco de Mayo
Michelle Malkin: “Friday Fun”

AL-ZARQAWI IS A LOSER

Abu Musab al-Zarqawi released a rare video of himself on April 25th, 2006, mocking the US military in Iraq, touting himself as a proficient military man and urging Iraqis to unite with him against US forces in Iraq.

Today, the Department of Defense released the video portions of al-Zarqawi’s previous propaganda tape that were edited out. The tape was confiscated in a raid on an al-Qaeda safehouse in Iraq.

Spokesman for US Command MAJ GEN Rick Lynch , who said in March 2006 that Iraqis are fed up with and fighting against the insurgency, explained about the newly released video:

“It’s supposed to be automatic fire, he’s shooting single shots. Something is wrong with his machine gun, he looks down, can’t figure out, calls his friend to come unblock the stoppage and get the weapon firing again.

“This piece you all see as he walks away, he’s wearing his black uniform and his New Balance tennis shoes as he moves to this white pickup. And, his close associates around him … do things like grab the hot barrel of the machine gun and burn themselves.”

WATCH THE VIDEO
(unnarrated Department of Defense footage)

Um, how does this thing work again? Isn’t this the same al-Zarqawi who said in his April 25th video:

“Why do not you (Pres. Bush) tell the truth about your soldiers and that their fighting will is rather weak, so that your people will know the truth about this war? Why do not you tell them that your soldiers are continuously committing suicide? Why do not you tell them that your soldiers cannot sleep without taking drugs and hallucination pills and that those pills make them lose their mind to allow your evangelical-Zionist war generals to drag them into the slaughter house? Why do not you tell them about the mass desertion and revolt [which] is growing among the ranks of your soldiers?”

Yeah, right, that’s the ticket.

Al-Zarqawi, having difficulty recruiting new willing members to his suicide squads, is changing gears and attempting to organize an army of sorts, and vows military action against the US if Iraqis will unite with him. This is a war he cannot win against the proficient, professional and highly trained military of the United States of America, but it would be a welcomed change none the less.

Iraqi officials, as well as rank and file Iraqi citizens, overwhelmingly reject and condemn Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and his tactics. They say al-Zarqawi and al-Qaeda are responsible for bombing Mosques and trying to provoke the country into a civil war.

During the January 2005 constitutional elections in Iraq, Iraqi police, military and security forces prepared for a barrage of terrorist attacks at the hand of al-Zarqawi that never came. PBS’s Frontline special, The Insurgency, showed a priceless joyful celebration by Iraqi Army’s 1st Brigade, 2nd Battalion, who were protecting a polling station after it was clear al-Zarqawi was impotent to stop the elections (watch the video; its #4- A Long, Slow Process). In it, an Iraqi soldier led the rest in a chant/song mocking al-Zarqawi’s failure to stop democracy:

IRAQI SOLDIER: [in Arabic] I want to tell you the story of this courageous 2nd Battalion! [singing] Zarqawi, where are you today?

IRAQI SOLDIERS: [singing] Zarqawi, where are you today?
The 2nd Battalion is coming to get you!
Muhammad’s battalion is coming to get you!
Now the falcon is hunting you!

The message is clear: al-Zarqawi is a LOSER!