I have never understood the left’s fascination with Che Guevara. Before anyone claims that there’s not a Che obsession, please check out the never ending stream of books, t-shirts, and films about the communist thug. Why does the left idolize a man who was a racist murderer? Big Journalism has a great article about the mainstream press’ indifference to a black Cuban named Eusebio Peñalver who suffered in racist Cuba.
But have you ever heard of Eusebio Peñalver? He became a U.S. citizen and lived in Miami for almost 20 years and would have been a cinch for the media to track down. Ever see a CNN interview with him? Ever see him on 60 Minutes? Ever read about him in the New York Times? The Washington Post? The Boston Globe? Ever hear the NAACP or the Congressional Black Caucus mention him?
It’s odd that the left, which prides itself as being a super-tolerant and racist-free bunch, continues to idolize a man who is on record for saying, “The Negro is indolent and spends his money on frivolities and booze, whereas the European is forward-looking, organized and intelligent.” Is Steven Soderbergh going to write, film, and direct a four-hour movie about Nathan Bedford Forrest (it would likely be a far more interesting film)? Or are Soderbergh glory films about racists only reserved for militant murdering socialists? Heck, there has even been a movie for the thug’s early years. It was called The Motorcycle Diaries, but it might as well have been called “How the Americans Made Che Angry.”
Even when liberals finally admit their hero was a murderer and a racist they can fall back on the heartwarming belief that it was really just the United States’ fault. I guess that’s all that really matters.
Are you saying that the quote was made by Che:
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Astounding, if it is.
I expect more from you Nemov. Liberals “idolize” this man? Really? Come on. Can you please talk about something that doesn’t end with liberals lacking intellegence, morals, or a grasp of reality?
Most of my liberal friends and I acknowedge that we are racist in certain ways and share privelages becuase of our skin color. I am willing to admit it. Are you?
How come it’s okay to complain about people on the right who say and do stupid things but it’s “beyond the pale” to point out that many on the left idolize Che Guevara and Fidel Castro?
Henshaw:
I have no problem with people complaining about both sides. With that said, this post fails to provide any evidence that many liberals “idolize” Che Guevara. If you are going to say such a blanket/charged statement at least back it up with some kind of evidence. I mean, I could easily argue conservatives”idolize” Pat Robertson based on the large number of tv/radio followers and current relationships with republicans. But what for? If I wanted to hear about how “stupid” both sides are I would watch Fox News and MSNBC. But I am not an idiot and am open to learning from different perspectives. Many of Nemov’s post have challenged me to think outside of my own “liberal box”. Needless to say. this wasn’t one of those times.
Again, I am simply asking for some substance behind statements like, “..many on the left idolize Che Guevara and Fidel Castro”. You don’t expect me to simply take your word now do you?!?!?!
How many more movies have to made idolizing Che Guevara? The actor Gael García Bernal has been in two different Che films and he’s only 32. Soderbergh’s film spent four hours on Che’s life and didn’t even mention anything negative about the man.
There’s almost a never ending list of quotes from the Hollywood left gushing over Fidel Castro. Who on the left is denouncing these people? Why is okay to wear t-shirts with the face of a murdering racist thug?
Your link didn’t work but I found a lot of evidence linking liberals with Castro. So there is a bit more credibility to this argument than I originally thought. Personally, it is ridiculous for people to support these men. I will try and find a liberal I respect who also believes such a thing. Jesus people are idiots. This reminds me of people who still proudly display the confederate flag.
The link should work now… I totally agree about the confederate flag example. Not too long ago some kid in Sarasota got shot because his truck had a huge flag displayed on the back. The kid was obviously getting ugly about it and someone shot him. The best part was he was from PA and had only lived in the South (if you can call FL that) for a couple of years.
I am a retired academic and my field was history, late 19 and early 20 centuries European history’ and much of the time only conservative for miles and miles and… You talk about isolation. I guess my main point is thou shalt not criticize or find fault with or attack anything or anyone of the left- it just isn’t done; I became an object of curiosity, someone not credible; maybe a nut. And, yes, there was the occasional Che t-shirt.
This is silly. You criticize people who idolize him without knowing him but you do the same. You took quotes from his youth and completely ignored his life. Firstly in Latin America, and in that time period racism isn’t as big of a deal. We don’t have the same culture as the US about race and casual racism is the norm. Secondly this was in his youth, before any of his revolutionary activity. Thirdly he always fought alongside blacks in Cuba, and in the Congo. He dated a black girl for a while and hes a personal idol of mandela and Malcolm x was a big fan too. He constantly spoke out against apartheid and segregation as well. You can’t reduce a man to just words, look at his actions. Che will always be a personal hero and you can’t smudge his image for me. Lastly Id like to point out that Abraham Lincoln was a racist and we all idolize him.
Steven,
Take some time and talk to some Cubans about this evil disgusting human being. Learn about Eusebio Peñalver. Typically I just let comments like this go, but your willful ignorance is intolerable.
Here’s what Che said about the black Cubans you say he “fought along side:”
You sir, are an idiot.
I will immediately grasp your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription hyperlink or e-newsletter service. Do you have any? Kindly let me know so that I may just subscribe. Thanks.
I was going to delete the comment above because it’s clearly spam, but it helps make my point. There’s actually a site (I removed the link because I don’t want to drive traffic to it) that sells Che merchandise. It’s shocking that the left idolizes this scumbag.
There are a few people in denial here. The left doesn’t support “Che”. What the ???
Didn’t see any Ayn Rand t-shirts at Occupy Wall-street. There was quite a few “Che” though.