Killer Chic: Hollywood's sick love affair with Che

reply to post by Camilo1


One might also have taken those pictures in Canada, in the US, anywhere. Poverty exists all over the place, and I will not take the time to find similar pictures taken in the 'rich' countries. I'm sure you agree it wouldn't be tough.

I don't speak from the vantage of our life here. That's false. My point is that, as a struggling country, the average Cuban has it a lot better than his neighbours in the Caribbean...and elsewhere...in terms of life span, education, health, infant death mortality, etc. These are quantitative statistics...you can also do the research should you doubt me.

Further, I'd say that most folks in the DR, Jamaica, Mexico...most of the tourist destinations down there, would trade off their liberties for what the Cubans have achieved.

Now...when you are in Cuba, looking at TV, seeing tourists and seeing what the 'outside world' looks like...sure, some will make a play for it. Also consider that many Cubans have family in the US and are also looking for reconciliation. So they want out. Fair enough.

But every Cuban I spoke to, their chests swelled with pride at being Cuban, even as they hoped that Obama would loosen up the embargo some. Look to that to see where most of Cuba's current ills lie.

And as far as humiliating me with pictures of poverty, I'll say this. When I go to Cuba for a vacation, my dollars go to the government and help to provide some of those services which we cannot even boast. When I go to the DR...where does it end up? Sure doesn't put any kids through school. I'd say it ends up helping some teacher's pension fund in Omaha achieve a 12% return.

Finally, when my family members came over from East Germany to visit, before the Wall came down, the toughest thing for them to comprehend about the West...the vision that they saw on German TV...watching Dallas, and such...was that here you also have the freedom to die in a ditch.

They, in turn, were pretty fond of those government-paid Black Sea vacations.

It's all a matter of perspective, mi Amigo.

One might also have taken those pictures in Canada, in the US, anywhere. Poverty exists all over the place, and I will not take the time to find similar pictures taken in the 'rich' countries. I'm sure you agree it wouldn't be tough.

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I agree, but that is not the issue, in any free country in the world any citizen as long as they can afford it, has access to things like, hotels, beaches, clubs, restaurants, etc. In Cuba there is a type of apartheid where cubans, even if they could afford it (of course 98% of the can´t) have no access to said places.

I don't speak from the vantage of our life here. That's false. My point is that, as a struggling country, the average Cuban has it a lot better than his neighbours in the Caribbean...and elsewhere...in terms of life span, education, health, infant death mortality, etc. These are quantitative statistics...you can also do the research should you doubt me

Cubans do have a superior health care system, that is true. Yet, most doctors are not paid, and those who manage to get out, like the ones who work in Venezuela and Bolivia do all they can to stay outside Cuba or flee to other countries, risking their lifes of course, because if they get caught fleeing Castro`s regime he will have them sent back to Cuba and shot.

Further, I'd say that most folks in the DR, Jamaica, Mexico...most of the tourist destinations down there, would trade off their liberties for what the Cubans have achieved.

No they wouldn`t, that is only your opinion, you have no basis to say that. I have been to Mexico and Jamaica, I don´t think that people that have freedom (although they are poor) would like to trade a good health care system for their freedom. Believe me, I am hispanic I know how the latin ideosincracy works.

Now...when you are in Cuba, looking at TV, seeing tourists and seeing what the 'outside world' looks like...sure, some will make a play for it. Also consider that many Cubans have family in the US and are also looking for reconciliation. So they want out. Fair enough.

Imagine what is it like for someone who has nothing, to see tourists like yourself having all they can´t have in their own land.

But every Cuban I spoke to, their chests swelled with pride at being Cuban, even as they hoped that Obama would loosen up the embargo some. Look to that to see where most of Cuba's current ills lie.

Of course they do that, every block in Cuba has a political commissary, his job is to make certain that everyone sticks to the regime, if you get denounced by him/her or a member of the party you would probably rot in jail for the rest of your life.

And as far as humiliating me with pictures of poverty, I'll say this. When I go to Cuba for a vacation, my dollars go to the government and help to provide some of those services which we cannot even boast. When I go to the DR...where does it end up? Sure doesn't put any kids through school. I'd say it ends up helping some teacher's pension fund in Omaha achieve a 12% return.

Your dollars also finance their corrupt regime, where the ruling class of the socialist party live like kings and queens while everyone else dies of hunger. Yes hunger.

It's all a matter of perspective, mi Amigo.

Agreed.

Originally posted by TasteTheMagick
Hey, they're just shirts. People should be able to wear what they want. You don't think it's acceptable, so don't wear one of the shirts. I mean, you might as well complain about rednecks parading the rebel flag around everywhere. On their trucks, on their shirts, hanging from their houses. I saw a whole garage door painted like that.

It's a freedom of choice. I don't agree with flying a rebel flag, I don't have too.

From the sound of your response, I don't think you fully understand what (at least what I percieved to be) the OP's actual point.

I don't think he was out and out protesting people wearing any specific piece of clothing or symbol.
I think he was pointing out the airhead-lemming culture that just wears something because someone who is popular wears it.
Not even knowing what it represents.
Thereby squandering any real power within the symbolism and watering it down to a cheesy "trend" that in effect.. passes in time and then is considered "out of fasion" in the not too distant future.

so .. not to say he's against personal choice.. as you perceived it to be..
but as an obervation of the uneducated masses and our egos thirst for gratification through other's acceptance, approval, OR repulsion.


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It's because they are uneducated about either person. They just see them as these big personalities. I didn't even want to read anything about Che, because I didn't want my idea of him to be soiled. I don't any shirts with his face on it, though.

But man would I love to have a hat like that!