40 years later, Che lives on...Poke that up your asses US Government!

On this day 40 years ago, Ernesto Che Guevara was murdered in full sight of United States CIA agent Felix Rodriguez. They captured him in Bolivia, and held him in an abandoned schoolhouse. The next day, that is today, they summarily executed him.

I became interested in Che some time ago, but I have only recently begun to study his life, and him. The Motorcycle Diaries really had an impact on me when he related the poverty that he encountered on his travels, as well as the absolute ownership companies had of the people that worked for them. When seen through his eyes it really is mind-bending that capitalism will hold people captive and hostage, all the while telling the people capitalism is the way to go. (See Bush and the recent veto of children's' health care).

The government of the United States would have one believe that Che was just some ignorant, illiterate boob that was some sort of manic revolutionary. The US government would have you believe he was a terrorist.

On a side note, being raised in white America, republican at that, (are you surprised, dear reader that I survived?) I was raised with the belief that Communism was EVIL like irrationally evil. Can I get my point across? Like going to hell instantly evil. When I was a kid, (i was born in '68 I'll be 39 this month) Reagan was talking about the soviet union as the evil empire, etc., so it's not surprising to think one is going to hell for being a "godless communist."

The truth is, Guevara was a medical doctor highly educated, cultured that was very adamant (after the Cuban Revolution) that the troops in the Cuban Army learn to read, write, and develop some sort of culture about themselves. Guevara was extremely intelligent, well spoken and cultured. He also suffered horribly with asthma, something that brings him closer to me. Also, he did not start with an absolute distrust of the US gov't, it was acquired by seeing the way the US ran over Latin American countries as well as others. It wasn't until Arbenz of Guatemala was overthrown by a CIA -led force that Che decided that the US was just an imperialistic bully. Much like me. Guevara's revelation brought contempt in his mind toward the united states. He saw how the US ran and continues to run countries and whole peoples over.

I wonder what was going on in his mind before they assassinated him. Did he pray? I'm in the middle of reading "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" by Jon Lee Anderson. I know how it ends, so I'm making it a study rather than a quick read. I want to meditate on the man himself, not as a fashion statement.

My beautiful son is running around acting like Spiderman talking about trick-or-treating. He's four.

I checked out "The Wretched of the Earth" by Frantz Fanon. I'm way ahead in my reading for my class so I'm going to read this for a little while. That and look for a job.

I'm still trying to figure out how to add pictures so they're not all at the top...