Che Guevara: Hero or Extreme Communist?

[Chronus]

I?ve ben noticing that the Che Guevara t-shirt is very popular. So I?ve been studding on him for 2 days now and im just wonder what your view is on him. Right now im kinda leaning toward che's side but I would like more information on him so....

Please tell me your full opinion about him.

[Albert Flasher]

[COLOR=Sienna]First I'd just like to say that being a Communist and being a terrible human being are two different things.

And then I'd just like to say that Che Guevara is one of the most overrated pop colture icons of our day. He overthrew dictators and had them replaced with an even worse Soviet (There's a difference between Sovietism and Communism) system of government. He was personally resonsible for the founding Cuba's forced labour systems. He's generally considered a brilliant leader; but that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, he never had one recorded combat victory throughout his entire career as a 'freedom fighter.' As a politician, he was even worse, and it was as a result of his managment abilities that Cuba's economy nearly collapsed.

I don't get why he's so popular. I'm a fan of socialism, and I think that mild communism can be a good thing, but I realize that Che was nothing like the image he built up around him. [/COLOR]

[Drix D'Zanth]

[quote name='HedonismBot][COLOR=Sienna']First I'd just like to say that being a Communist and being a terrible human being are two different things. [/COLOR][/quote]

[QUOTE=HedonismBot][COLOR=Sienna]
And then I'd just like to say that Che Guevara is one of the most overrated pop colture icons of our day. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
Che Guevara is a pop culture icon? I think in order for that to happen we?d need to really embrace socialism as a pop-culture idea. His image alone makes an interesting shirt, but rarely is it anything more. Let?s not judge the man by the fact his image is often mis/overused.

[QUOTE=HedonismBot][COLOR=Sienna]
He overthrew dictators and had them replaced with an even worse Soviet (There's a difference between Sovietism and Communism) system of government. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
He?s not Soviet, or even communist. Soviet implies the USSR specifically. Che is a Marxist socialist.
[QUOTE=HedonismBot][COLOR=Sienna]
He was personally resonsible for the founding Cuba's forced labour systems. He's generally considered a brilliant leader; but that couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, he never had one recorded combat victory throughout his entire career as a 'freedom fighter.' As a politician, he was even worse, and it was as a result of his managment abilities that Cuba's economy nearly collapsed. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]

I think the major pitfall to your argument here is your opinion of Che as a military commander. To which I have two responses:
-The NVA and Viet Cong never won a single battle against the US in the Vietnam conflict. Let me ask you, is there still a ?South Vietnam??
-Is Cuba still under Batista control?

Che fought a guerilla war, he wasn?t gaining territory- he was gaining momentum. To this effect he succeeded quite well. His greatest strength wasn?t necessarily in his military abilities, but his post-war skill in inspiring incredible social change. He was truly a renaissance man of the socialist party. I really challenge you to read some of his speeches, or even his biography. I don?t like what Che did, and I don?t agree with his method of governing; but I respect him for the intelligent (and supernaturally charismatic) man that he was. Despite his best efforts, Cuba ended up in the shitter. There?s a lesson to be learned from that, though:
?In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of effort is the measure of the results.?- James Allen
You?ve got your hands on the wrong ruler, here.

[QUOTE=HedonismBot][COLOR=Sienna]
I don't get why he's so popular. I'm a fan of socialism, and I think that mild communism can be a good thing, but I realize that Che was nothing like the image he built up around him. [/COLOR][/QUOTE]
This hasn?t been one of your most eloquent arguments on OB, hedonism bot. You usually seemed well informed, which is why I?m reaming you a little in this post. The idea of ?mild communism? is frankly oxymoronic.

I?m sure we?re all sick of the uninformed rebel-teen wearing his Che t-shirt feeling like he/she?s taking a ?public stance? against social norms. But if we examine this man outside of the hype he truly was quite extraordinary.

[Chronus]

[QUOTE]He?s not Soviet, or even communist. Soviet implies the USSR specifically. Che is a Marxist socialist.[/QUOTE]

Very True.I researched alot about Marxist.You would be suprised how non comunist it is.I think it got so bad in cuba when Che joined forces with Fidel.

wonldnt you say? :animesmil

[Gavin]

[SIZE=1]Interesting, most interesting.

Jordan already said most of what I was going to say, Che Guevara's face being plastered all over crappy t-shirts worn by kids too you to realise that the system in place can't be changed by angst alone doesn't mean he's considered a hero or a villain. What I think of the man himself is that he's overrated for what he is, many countries have had revolutionary leaders, he drew enough support to change a government and install a man who has proven an effective leader. But in the end, I think he's nothing particularly special or worthy of remembrance, at least from my perspective.[/SIZE]

[Retribution]

[size=1]I think the saddest part about people wearing Che Guevara t-shirts is that they have no idea what the man represented.

To put it simply, he was evil. In an interview with the Daily Worker (British newspaper), he said that if the missiles had been under Cuban control (see [i]Cuban Missile Crisis[/i]), they would have fired them against major U.S. cities.

And yes, he is considered a pop icon (well, that one famous photograph of him). He represents revolution, which is why teenagers buy the shirts without actually caring about what he stood for.[/size]

[Chronus]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]I think the saddest part about people wearing Che Guevara t-shirts is that they have no idea what the man represented.

To put it simply, he was evil. In an interview with the Daily Worker (British newspaper), he said that if the missiles had been under Cuban control (see [i]Cuban Missile Crisis[/i]), they would have fired them against major U.S. cities.

And yes, he is considered a pop icon (well, that one famous photograph of him). He represents revolution, which is why teenagers buy the shirts without actually caring about what he stood for.[/size][/QUOTE]

very very true.

but I do not like how people get this scense that people wereing Che Guevara T - Shirts are uniformed and just wereing it becuase its "whats hot".

I will admit I wear the shirt!But like others I dont wear the shirt becuase it symbolizes revolution, I wear the shirt becuase of his great speech skills and his thoughts on government related issues.Shere I dont agree with everything the man did but I respect his intelligence.

[Luck Cl]

interesting

i have seen pics of him before but i never knew who he was. He can be interpreted both ways. Some may call him hero yet some want to call him a demon due to the fact he was involved with communism.

ill have more to post when i leanr about him because the forum gave me the idea do to che for a Social Studies project.