Feb 3, 2009

Distant take on El Che

Having a Cuban mom and Cuban family, my perspective on the whole Che Guevara dick sucking we are witnessing lately is a little different from what's being dished out there. Did I see the Motorcycle Diaries? Yes. Did I enjoy the flick? Of course. It showed the ideal point of a revolutionary icon before he had taken a few decisions that have inspired hatred and disgust against what was supposed to be the Cuban Revolution and one of its center pieces. It's a good movie. Good music. Good message and in part paints el Che as a dreamer not about to compromise his vision of what was right. Excellent. But there's a bit more to the whole Che story than what I've seen out there.

For those that don't know, before Castro came to force, there was another sumbitch known the world over as Batista. There was a revolutionary party designed to thwart the existing dictatorship and this party was led by el Che and Fidel pretty much hitched a ride to become the new leader of Cuba, also known as a self appointed dictator. So the equation is real simple for Cubans: Thanks to Che Guevara, they got Fidel.

To make a long story short, turns out a revolution obviously needs some broken eggs and among the lovlier ideas Che had was what is known as "los paredones"... AKA, those nifty walls where they put people up and shoot them down. Yet people the world over glorify el Che and have now jumped onto the wagon of further adoring someone who was far from the Saint he's been sold on to idealistic people looking for someone to give thanks to for freedom, rebellious natures and whatever the fuck else they want to give El Che credit for.

I haven't seen the Che films and I'm still on the fence about watching them because I'm sincerely worried at my reaction when coming out of the theater since conflicting emotions are pretty much a given. On one part I can admire the balls, commitment, gumption and conviction of an individual that can be integral in overthrowing an unjust government. On another part, you just need to talk to a few Cubans to find a nice bevy of stories to make you think twice of wearing a Che style beret, cap or T-shirt.

Che was no saint. True he got killed before he could thwart Castro upon his ideological and political stance change, but by no means should we now scatter to turn a blind eye to history.

What I guess I'm really trying to say is, would people please stop worshipping the Che based solely on half truths, what they see on the TV and what that crazy fucker from your humanities class rambles on about?

Just a thought.

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