Robbie Cano: Revolutionary
-
- January
- 5
Is there anything more ironic than a baseball player about to get several million dollars through arbitration wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt?
I’m guessing Robbie wasn’t going for the irony. Further, I’d wager a few dollars he has no idea who the Cuban commie was. But it’s still funny.
Hope Robbie doesn’t give exclusive interviews to The Daily Worker next season.
(Photo gleefully lifted from Can’t Stop The Bleeding.)
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Peter Abraham
Good stuff, Pete.
That’s actually really sort of funny.
On that note, if you guys have never seen The Motorcycle Diaries, you all really need to see it.
It’s an amazing movie, and Gael Garcia Bernal is teh sex. But that’s besides the point.
I saw Hank Steinbrenner wearing a Karl Marx sweater.
Good stuff. Not to get all political, but Castro’s cede control. It won’t be long until there will be spring training games in Havana.
Rebecca,
Dudette! Playoffs! What’re your picks?
That’s “Castro’s ready to cede control”.
Mel:
Seattle, Jacksonville, Giants, Chargers for this round =)
Why would you assume Robbie doesn’t know who Che Guevara was? Maybe it was meant to be ironic…look more carefull it’s a Che G with bling/sequins!
I too Loved Motorcycle Diaries, but of course nothing compares to Y tu Mama Tambien. Gael is delicshhhhh!
Love you Robbie. Can’t wait for next season. Wish I’d know how many millions he’s getting.Hope they sign him to a contract.
Rebecca,
O.K. test of faith. Who do you pick to meet in the Super Bowl and who’s your winner?
Congrats to Tom Brady. Near-unanimous MVP.
Mel:
Pains me to say, but Pats and Cowboys, Pats winning is the safe bet.
If I want to go on a limb, I’d do Jacksonville-Packers, Packers winning.
But if it is Pats + Cowboys I may have to hope that the world opens up and swallows them both
Can’t wait to see Robbie play again. Its Redskins, Steelers, Giants, and Chargers.
Don’t know, Rebecca. Giants are playing better than the ‘Boys right now. For some unknown reason, I can’t stand the Seahawks.
Superbowl Steelers or Indianapolis vs. Giants.
Go Giants! Anyone watching the Hawks-Skins game right now?
Oh man, I completley forgot Indianapolis existed, as well as that Dallas has been playing horribly…
at least they’re not playing this week!
“Eddie Layton
I saw Hank Steinbrenner wearing a Karl Marx sweater.”
LMAO!
Hawks have first score.
Oh and by the way I’m Jaewon, not Karse, but I have to post under Karse right now. So you know.
Rebecca, I know, with all the Jags/Pats talk I forgot about the Colts. . . wow all the AFC playoff teams are so good, (minus the Titans)
Hawks 7-0 but it ain’t over yet. I’m still going with the Skins
The only thing more ironic (or moronic?) is saying that Che was Cuban…he was from Argentina.
I don’t blame Pete for the mistake; it’s common enough to make.
99% of the people who wear Che shirts have no idea what they’re wearing. They’re quite the conumdrum for a Cuban American, let me tell you. On the one hand, one side of me gets the real original sentiment behind the shirts. On the other, what that man fought for led to family members of mine being imprisoned and tortured for no reason. Tough one, ain’t it?
Gotta love Robbie for being so ghetto f’n fabulous. Where was Melky?
Mr. G:
I’m aware of that. But given his work with the 26th of July Movement, Guevara is most identified for what he did in Cuba. He also was a member of the Cuban delegation to the U.N. He was in many eyes second-in-command to Castro.He is also buried in Cuba as far as I can recall from my days as a history major at UMass.
let’s see if the Skins can avoid the safety. . . oh big penalty there.
I agree with you,Rebecca.The Motorcycle Diaries is a great film.
it’s only 7-0 (soon more) but this game is being dominated by the Hawks
The Skins simply aren’t that good–they got in because Minnesota decided they weren’t interested in the playoffs. I give the Skins that they have TONS of heart, and I’d root for them, but on a non-emotional basis, Seattle is the better team.
Let’s give Robbie the benefit of the doubt on this one. To a kid like him it’s a cool shirt, period. He’s about to become a millionaire, and I’m sure the last thing he’d be doing is pushing communism. But he’s gonna get educated REAL fast now that this picture is circulating.
One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. I’m a Catholic from Northern Ireland, I’ve heard that saying plenty of times.
Perfectly put, Sean.
10-0 hawks still going with the skins though one more touchdown (or field goal) might change that
Big long contract for you Robbie 7-10 years plenty of millions. Good Luck
why do people suppose that a latin player wouldnt know who che was? give the guy some credit. do u think joba knows who sam adams is?
wow, skins going down in flames!
GOOOO GIANTS!
He might know who che is that doesn’t mean he thought about it when he put it on.
I don’t think Robbie was trying to make any political statements. Those t-shirts are incredibly popular with a lot of kids and young adults today. Every time I turn around, I see someone else wearing one. And they’re not making any statements either. It’s just a t-shirt.
or maybe he got the shirt to protest a corrupt and inneffective government in one of the poorest contries in the world
Steve: The issue is the possibility of Robbie not knowing who Che was…
Just another clueless celebutard.
hard to believe that people automatically assume that robinson cano (named after jackie robinson) might actually have a political opinion and it might not be in line with our republicratic beliefs!
Karl Marx worked as correspondent for the New York Herald Tribune (while living in London)… Horace Greeley paid him peanuts… Marx constantly harped about needing more money… to feed his family… Greeley wouldn’t budge… Almost a hundred million die in Russia alone as Marxism takes hold. SO, Pete… next time your editor wont give you a raise… tell him… He better!
All I care about is whether or not Robbie actually knows who Che is. Whether or not he agrees with those views, that’s his business, not mine.
rebecca i cant imagine that anybody who grew up in latin america wouldnt know who che was
i miss bernie–Agreed, but you never know.
Che the rebel > Che the communist, Pete
on another topic, isnt that subway commercial great
“i totally blew that call, in fact,it wasnt even close, but dont worry, ill penalize the other team for no good reason in the 2nd half” LMAO
Viva la Revolution!
hey Pete!
man, I have to disagree with you on this one… I don’t really know how much schooled Robie Cano is, but Ernesto “Che” Guevara is a very popular figure all over Latin America and is viewed like some sort of “rebel hero” down here… It has something with that “anti us imperialist” bull**ht… but anyway is really funny to see how many wealthy rich hypocrites wears t-shirts like that.
This iconic image of “Che” became some sort of common piece of fashion and people started to use it as a symbol of “teenage rebellion”
show of hands, how many people believe felipe from brazil really is?
i miss bernie — me. Man, I really do miss Bernie.
ok, I’m not Gael Garcia Bernal, that’s for sure!
Ok, Pete you’ve officially made me feel like an idiot. I have no idea who the guy is you were talking about. I’m sure most of your readers don’t. That’s ok, you can try and smarten us all up, but stay loyal to those of us who come to this blog to read and write about the Yankees.
Apparently Canseco may name ARod in his book but doesn’t have the goods to do so per ESPN…..
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3182587
Felipe from Brazil
January 5th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
hey Pete!
man, I have to disagree with you on this one… I don’t really know how much schooled Robie Cano is, but Ernesto “Che” Guevara is a very popular figure all over Latin America and is viewed like some sort of “rebel hero” down here… It has something with that “anti us imperialist” bull**ht… but anyway is really funny to see how many wealthy rich hypocrites wears t-shirts like that.
This iconic image of “Che” became some sort of common piece of fashion and people started to use it as a symbol of “teenage rebellion”
________________________________________________
These t-shirts are no different from the mid-60s when everybody was wearing “surfer’s crosses”. What they actually were was the old German Iron Crosses. It really caused the WWII vets a lot of problems when they saw those things. To kids of the mid-60s, they meant something entirely different…it was a fad.
Jeff: Che Guevara was a revolutionary, one of the ones that helped Fidel Castro gain power in Cuba
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Che_guevara
“One mans terrorist is another mans freedom fighter.”
Goes hand in hand with the winner writes history, right?
“On that note, if you guys have never seen The Motorcycle Diaries, you all really need to see it.
It’s an amazing movie”
It was a very good movie, but who knows about most the accuracy. It’s a very romaticized version of Guevera’s early life.
or romanticized…Pete, we need an edit button!
ok I know this is off-topic but if you gave up on the skins start watchin! They just took (unbelievably)a 14-13 lead. The hawks had all the momentum, and all of a sudden, 2 touchdowns in a span of a couple of minutes. WOW HOW AM I THE ONLY PERSON WHO’S IMPRESSED!?
…Where did all these Washington points come from?
Blargh: You know it.
Gimme a break Pete. There are about a billion Che Guevara t-shirts in the world — in fact it is supposedly the most common photo-on-a-t-shirt ever. It means: “I am young and non-conformist.” Che Guevara is a very complex historical figure and his popularity as an icon — particular in places where English is not the first language — is very understandable.
If Robbie hits .300 with 20 HRs and 80 RBIs — I really don’t care if he wears Che Guevara t-shirt — or a t-shirt of any other leftists (including Bruce Springsteen!)
THIS IS GETTING REDICULOUS! (but imagine if they had gotten a TD on that kick)
Jeff, Che Guevara was a South American medical student from Argentina who spent a few years going from poor village to poorer village around South American in the early 1950s. He was appalled by the conditions they lived under and the corruption of the politicos, so, he tried to change what he could, and thought socialism/communism was the answer. Things got a little too hot, so he moved to Cuba and fought with Castro in 1957-59 to overthrow Batista. His group captured the Batista headquarters in Santa Clara, Cuba, and Batista left the country. He ended up as basically Castro’s vice-president. After that, he left Cuba, and went to the Congo to start a revolution there. It failed due to lack of support. From there, he went back to South America, Bolivia, in particular. He was captured and summarily executed in 1967, by the Bolivian Army, but, under the direction of the CIA. That’s the down and dirty of Che Guevara.
Chuck: Relax, the post was a joke.
Man, some of you people have no sense of humor whatsoever. If you don’t see the irony of a Yankees player wearing a Che t-shirt, I really can’t help you.
jeez this game is good. . .
Pete help me pump people up about this Redskins-Seahawks football game its getting so good.
If there is registration, our handles may have to change to not include spaces & must have a # in it. I just tried setting up an acct with my current handle & not so bueno.
Sean: very well put.
Steve: I don’t assume anyone knows anything in this world. I don’t even assume that any random kid walking around Miami knows who Che is anymore.
Felipe from Brazil: Nice generalization there. I’m glad you lump all of Latin America together.
Pete: of course you were joking. comments sections take on a life of their own sometimes.
Robbie: still love the sequined Che.
One note of interest on Robinson Cano…his father, Jose was originally signed by the Yankees as a pitcher in 1980, and finally made it to the majors in 1989 with the Astros.
This game has gotten kind of crazy.
Of course, now would be a good time to note my playoff picks usually have horrible results.
Yep.
Always relaxed, Pete… and always trying to keep you on your toes. (Are you upset that I mentioned Bruce?)
Is it “a joke” or is it “irony”? There is a small amount of irony, I guess — but there are plenty of celebs that wear Che t-shirts — I think Jay Z (not a big fan here, so I could be thinking of the wrong rap guy) wears one a lot. I know there is a website all pissy about Santana wearing one.
Fact is Che is no longer a communist icon (mostly because capitalism has already won and the whole debate has become a bit passe in the United States) but remains a revolutionary/pissed off/anti-establishment/cultural icon.
Sorry if I am getting too “serious” — but if you trace the picture back to where it was originally posted, people are all pissy comparing it to wearing a Hitler t-shirt. Pretty silly.
But to keep it light, here is Che Guevara wearing a Bart Simpson t-shirt: http://www.thenewyorkerstore.com/product_details.asp?sitetype=1&did=4&sid=69210&pid=
this foosball game is great!
wow.
OHOHOHOHOHOH! TD! 28-14! WHAT A GAME!
SEE-SAW BATTLE, SO GOOD.
… now all we need is for washington to come back, and then this game will officially > last year’s cowboy-s seahawks romo mess up game.
Holy….
Man, I need my Yankee games like this! (with the Yankees winning, of course)
** edit: cowboys-seahwaks
I think that Seattle has this game in hand.
Oh, exciting football game too. Pretty sure Hasselbeck (Matt or Elizabeth) will never wear a Che Guevara t-shirt.
Fran. . . both teams have shown the game can change fast. Watch a little more first.
Jorge,
get a clue, there’s absolutely no problem in my generalization in this specific case. Of course there’s people in latin america who really dislike Che and sustain that he’s a cold murderer before a rebel. But hey, you’re wright, there’s a problem in every generalization. you see, I’m a baseaball fan in a soccer country…
this could be the game
hawks win
Cano is a typical modern-day athlete - rich beyond his wildest dreams and ignorant beyond our fears.
Karse - I know that this game can change but I really think that the time is going to run out on Washington. I also think that last interception by Collins gave Seattle all of the momentum.
Thanks for the education. I’m still to sports. So it looks like Seattle is going to win, so that means that if the Giants win they get a rematch in Texas against the Cowboys. Doesn’t seem like a great matchup, but I guess I’d rather them play in Texas then Green Bay, my man Eli gets to messed up by bad weather.
So who wins the next one?
Felipe: That’s not what your original post eluded to, but I agree with your second post and, certainly, a baseball fan in a soccer country is unusual.
Rebecca - I would like to see Jacksonville win the next game. Who do you think will win?
Fran: Jacksonville. They’ve been playing a lot better than the Steelers of late.
Rebecca - I agree. And like you I am a Jets fan and even the Jets beat the Steelers this year.
Rebecca and Fran: I agree. By the way where did Garrard come from?
Detroit’s on a 17-0 run on Boston.
Karse - I know that Garrard had been their back-up QB for the last few years. He became their starter this season in training camp.
mel: Wha, you mean it’s possible for Boston to lose at something?
“Cano is a typical modern-day athlete - rich beyond his wildest dreams and ignorant beyond our fears.”
how do you know this?
that’s right, you don’t.
Buddy Biancalana
Yeah I signed up last night, I couldn’t use my current name
Kevin, that’s a strong statement you’re making there. How could you say Robbie is “ignorant beyond our fears”??? All because he’s wearing a T-shirt?!!
Pittsburgh with first score
Wow how the heck did he run that back!! Almost got a td!
Hey, Peter’s right, that sort of shirt is always a tad ironic/funny on someone wealthy. I like this one too:
http://www.northernsun.com/images/thumb/1030.jpg
Also, nice job GreenBeret7. The world’s not black and white. Che’ put his all into trying to make the world better (sometimes he was right on target, sometimes not). But he’s an icon representing justice for the poor.
As for Robbie and others of wealth, I like to see if they put their money where their political statements go. If Robbie follows the tradition of athlete philanthropists like Dikembe Motumbo, Hank Aaron, Tony Hawk and many more, then it’s not inconsistent to don a shirt expressing solidarity with the poor, IMO.
That was a quick score by Jacksonville to come back and tie the game
Rebecca,
Well, they fought back Pistons on tp still, though.
Did you see that kickoff return?
Holy @#$#$@
My brother picks a great time to call me….
What’s the big deal with tee shirts ? I’ve got one with Boris Yeltsin toasting Bill Clinton.
Ohhhhh, that Boris could do justice to a bottle of Stoli.
hey guys just saw this on espn and had to pass it along……
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3182587
“I’m passing,” Yaeger told the New York Daily News. “I had a chance to review the Jose Canseco [material] that he provided me. I don’t think there’s a book there. I don’t know what they’re going to do. I don’t think he’s got what he claims to have, certainly doesn’t have what he claims to have on A-Rod. There’s no meat on the bones.”
Pete, stick to baseball. #1. Guevara was not Cuban. #2. Your favorite musician (that you embarassingly follow like a puppy) is a fan of Che. You should pay attention to the lyrics of his songs instead of frothing over his stage presence #3. Leave Robbie alone - money doesn’t control your politics - just ask the Boss or, perhaps, Roberto Clemente.
Wow…. Pete, you are usually a pretty astute guy. Indeed, it is ironic, but Ernesto “che” Guevara was not Cuban. He just helped lead their revolution. Kick facts if you are going to talk.
I’ll have to call Stan’s tomorrow to see if there’s any Hideki “Fat Toad” Irabu shirts left.
Here’s an interesting concept, read through the comments after a post has been made by Pete, & you will always find an explanation of his post as to why he said something.
But, can it really be expected for them to read your comment? xP
Blargh-
Most likely not.
Not to get too political here but…
He was appointed commander of the La Cabaña Fortress prison, and during his five-month tenure in that post (January 2 through June 12, 1959),[31] he oversaw the trial and execution of many people, among whom were former Batista regime officials and members of the “Bureau for the Repression of Communist Activities” (BRAC), a unit of the secret police known by its Spanish acronym. José Vilasuso, an attorney who worked under Guevara at La Cabaña preparing indictments, said that these were lawless proceedings where “the facts were judged without any consideration to general juridical principles” and the findings were pre-determined by Guevara.[32][33] It is estimated that between 156[34] and 550[35] people were executed on Guevara’s extra-judicial orders during this time.[36]
Guevara played a key role in bringing to Cuba the Soviet nuclear-armed ballistic missiles that precipitated the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. During an interview with the British newspaper Daily Worker some weeks later, he stated that, if the missiles had been under Cuban control, they would have fired them against major U.S. cities.
Guevera was a part of a revolutionary movement that created a totalitarian dictatorship in Cuba that has lasted for many years.
If a Yankee were wearing a Hitler or Pinochet t-shirt, it would not be well received.
Che as a fashion icon is deeply offensive to many people;
The Yankees are very focused on their image (jackets on the road, no facial hair, etc.)
Wearing a tshirt with a guy who established a totalitarian government, murdered hundreds of people and regretted not being able to massacre innocent American citizens with nuclear weapons would seem to be worse than a goatee.
Mr. Cashman should have a talk with Mr. Cano.
Hey meatwads,
Pete already acknowledged that Che was from Argentina, not Cuba, but that he is most often associated with the Cuban Revolution that put Castro in power. Back to nomaas for you.
Nothin’ quite like being late to the party…
Not to necessarily defend Mr. Guevara, but when you mention the setting up of a totalitarian regime, gotta keep in mind, the Batista regime before it wasn’t so great itself
Which is kinda why there was a revolution in the first place
In one swift motion I manage to both break a dinner glass and my cell phone.
I am PISSED.
Matthew Cohen is right. There is also nothing “silly” when saying that many people would be as deeply offended if Robbie were wearing a Stalin or Hitler T-shirt. Che is not someone that we should be looking up to, and the irony of people making lots of dollars by wearing his face is incredible. Whether Robbie does or does not know who he is makes no difference.
Rebecca,
It’s just a t-shirt. lol.
Is it the game?
Blargh,
Mr. Cohen is only interested in presenting a (slanted) snippet of the events surrounding the Cuban Revolution. Mr. Cohen should worry about what Robby does on the field and not what t-shirts he decides to wear. I mean we are talking about a grown man here…
Guevara was not Hitler… to equate the two of them would display an ignorance of history…
Just found this site, before and after roids
http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=26649
The Bonds one is insane!!
Sorry rbizzler, but there is no way to “slant” Che’s background and make him smell good. He was a murderous thug, but since he was a “leftist” murderous thug he gets somewhat of a pass in our media and universities. Hence you can buy his mug on a mug. The fact that many celebrities (like Cano) wear Che’s face on a t-shirt does not change this fact or make it right.
No politics, no religion, please.
Big Ben looks like crap.
I am not equating Hitler and Che, or Che and Stalin. They are magnitudes apart, obviously.
But that does not mean that Che should be worn in public. He gets worn in public as a fashion statement because we have a largely uneducated public when it comes to Che.
mel: I broke my cell phone is not, in fact, a tee shirt.
It is what just happened to me. I’ve had my phone less than a bloody month.
Sorry Jimbo,
But to only look at aspects of the man’s life that fit your argument is short-sided and ignorant. You call him a ‘murderous thug’ but others view him as a revolutionary who helped dispose of an oppressive regime that was starving its own people for the financial gain of a few. As has been mentioned before, as is true with most arguments, there is no black and white when it comes to Che’s life.
And, are really going to break out the canned rant against ‘liberal university’?
Hey, how ’bout them Yankees! Remember them?
Jimbo, in general, the ‘public’, or the masses, is, has always been, and will always be, uneducated in general
’tis one of those rules of life/society
No comment on what topics in specific
Rebecca,
Sorry, I thought you threw your cell phone because the t-shirt discussion was getting political.
How’d you break it? Any chance the manufacturer will replace it?
As was previously mentioned here, I know he was from Argentina. However he is most identified for what he did with Castro in Cuba. And Springsteen is not a communist. Not at $89.50 a ticket. Try and relax, go turn on Fox News. Sorry if irony is concept you can’t grasp.
I’m not dumbing this blog down. Keep up with the rest of the group.
Ah yes, how about those Yankees?
Just to lighten it up a little, anyone down for a prediction as to what currently little or unknown player will have the biggest impact on the 2008 season?
I am going with Brett Gardner who is primed to become a fan favorite for his speed on the bases and his range in the OF.
Any takers?
Pete,
How about a new thread? Something nice and pleasant. Like Tom Brady getting 49 out of the 50 votes for MVP?
rbizzler,
Miguel Cairo.
mel: I was tossing it in my hand, and it missed my hand, fell into the glass (there was a bit of water in the glass) and the galss broke. My first reaction was to fix the glass, not to get my phone out of the water, which just kind of sucks.
It’s less then a month old so it should be under warranty, but if it got wet, which it did, then there’s really not anything they can do.
rbizzler,
Wow, that is just silly. You think I am just looking at aspects of his life that fit my argument? What, we should wear Che shirts because he might have been nice to his dog?
I suggest you do some googling of Che and read about his time in Cuba. Did you not read Matthew Cohen’s post above?
Che’s murders are not things that you can say are just part of his life. They are facts that are documented, in black and white, often by Che himself. And they should disqualify him from being worn in public as a fashion statement.
As for my comment about universities — please, the fact that most history departments at major universites lean to the left is documented pretty well. Just look at the numbers (easily available on the web) of professors who are registered democrats versus registered republicans, or who the professors donate money to.
Or Rutgers winning today
Well, damnit, it’s pleasant to a recent Rutgers alum like me
Well call me a commie, but I have no problem with people wearing Guevara t-shirts. Here is a better summary of the man (from a Time magazine feature about the most important people of the 20th century):
“More than [40] years have passed, and the dead hero has indeed persisted in collective memory, but not exactly in the way the majority of us would have anticipated. Che has become ubiquitous: his figure stares out at us from coffee mugs and posters, jingles at the end of key rings and jewelry, pops up in rock songs and operas and art shows. This apotheosis of his image has been accompanied by a parallel disappearance of the real man, swallowed by the myth. Most of those who idolize the incendiary guerrilla with the star on his beret were born long after his demise and have only the sketchiest knowledge of his goals or his life. Gone is the generous Che who tended wounded enemy soldiers, gone is the vulnerable warrior who wanted to curtail his love of life lest it make him less effective in combat and gone also is the darker, more turbulent Che who signed orders to execute prisoners in Cuban jails without a fair trial.
This erasure of complexity is the normal fate of any icon. More paradoxical is that the humanity that worships Che has by and large turned away from just about everything he believed in.”
The full article is here: http://www.time.com/time/time100/heroes/profile/guevara01.html
And this is a great topic for discussion on a sports blog, isn’t it?
C’mon Miggy Cairo?!
You can do better than that. And remember that his biggest supporter is now in L.A.
Rebecca,
Take the phone apart and dry it up as best you can. Call them and tell them there’s a problem with the phone. Insist that they send you a new one.
Rebecca trying pulling out the battery and leaving it open to dry out. And if it still doesn’t work, just go back to the store and tell them it stopped working. Don’t tell them you got it wet.
I think Action or Tabata will be up this season. I also this Horne will make a big impact the second half of the season in the pen a la Joba.
it’s pretty much been a bad past couple days for me, ugh
This is America. You can wear what you want, as long as you wear something.
Okay, no more commie posts. Well, this will be my last, and I will take a shot at Chuck:
The fact that you have no problem with Che T-shirts is the problem. He is not the worst 20th century figure, I grant you that. And he was complex, no doubt. But part of his complexity was the murder of hundreds (some reports say thousands) of innocents in a Cuban prison and other places.
So like I said, I don’t care if he was great to his dog, people should realize that he ought not be idolized on a mug or t-shirt.
Pete, I did not call Bruce a commie. I called him a leftist — maybe liberal is a better word. I agree with Bruce political even if much of his music doesn’t inspire me as much as it inspires you. I watch FoxNews only when I feel like laughing at the foolishness that is Sean Hannity or Papa Bear O’Reilly… In truth, I think we actually agree more than we disagree… but you are “the man” when it comes to this blog and what is more fun for a leftist than attacking “the man”?
I didn’t go to the store, though, my dad’s got a company plan and it’s one of their phones. Ugh.
Speaking of which, anybody remember the general legal minimum for clothes to be worn?
Rebecca - I also once dropeed a new phone in water. I removed the battery and dried out the phone. I took it back to the store and said that there was a problem with the phone and I got a new one.
So tell your father the phone stopped working, the cell company should replace it. (as long as you don’t tell them you got it wet).
Jimbo,
I don’t own a Che Guevara t-shirt (but I am thinking of buying one for Pete as a belated birthday gift). What Guevara did in Cuba was reprehensible — but the people in that prison were primarily members of the Batista regime (and the CIA controlled BRAC) that were responsible for their own atrocities. Should they have been given fair trials and punished appropriately? Certainly. But do I also understand what the Latin American young people (and some of our own young people in the U.S.) see as a heroic symbol in Che Guevara? Absolutely.
That’s it on the political debate for tonight… probably…. time to see if my Steelers can show some life in this game.
Blargh,
That is such a funny question! I recall a long time ago that in some county in Florida (lots of retirees), they couldn’t wear certain bikinis (Brazilian? Thong?) The law mandated the material be so many inches across a certain area.
And some girl was denied entry to an airplane lately. She was wearing a spaghetti strap top and a jeans mini-skirt. Nothing offensive at all.
my bad ==> change “birthday” in second line to “Christmas”. No edit feature.
Jimbo,
Mr. Cohen’s above post was one-sided and only fits the interpretation of Che that presents him as a ‘murderous thug.’ The fact of the matter is that, yes he was associated with a brutal revolution, but one that overturned a brutal and oppressive regime. The fact that he has been maligned in the American memory (Red Scare, anyone?), is a result of other aspects of his life and existence being ignored.
And it may be true that the academy does lean a bit to the left, but I have been a member of two different history departments and they certainly weren’t paragons of radical thought.
Thanks for the suggestion that i do some ‘googling’ but I have studied the Cuban Revolution and the Cuban Missile Crisis in depth on multiple occasions. I stand by the fact that Che is much more complicated than you are giving him credit for. But if you want to held captive by the perception of him touted by the fear-mongers, by all means, have at it.
Being that everyone else has bowed out of the Che/politics discussion I am out as well.
Anyone up for (meaningless) breakout Yankee predictions (outside of Miggy Cairo)?
I don’t know if anyone’s mentioned this Pete, Che was not Cuban … he was an Argentine.
New post, y’all. Interesting comments from Mr. Cashman.
My wife wants one of those sequined Che shirts, anyone know where I can score one? Seriously, Lol!
So would you feel better if he were wearing a t-shirt with Ken Lay’s face on it? Stick to sports Peter, when you comment on politics you are out of your element.
Hitler was more complex as well. I have heard that he was a wonderful dancer.
Uncle Joe was also complex.
Pinochet brought many great things to his country.
I frankly don’t understand the romantic fascination that members of the American left have with the Cuban authoritarian dictatorship and Che in particular.
Many countries in Latin American have at least some semblance of democracy. The fact that the Cuban people cannot elect their leaders after 45 years is absolutely horrific and defense of this government and its founders is reprehensible.
Whether a Yankee should wear this t-shirt is an appropriate discussion for this blog. If he were seen wearing a PInochet t-shirt the same defenders of his “complexity” would be aghast and calling for his head.
The fact that we are discussing whether Che was really that bad is frankly astounding.
(Okay, my REAL last post about Che…)
rbizzler,
So Che was nuanced, complex, maybe getting revenge on the prior bad guys, etc. I too am aware of some of his background, though I submit you know much more.
So we should celebrate him? I think not.
Again, maybe my “nice to his dog” comment is too cute by half, but come on — no matter how much of his life may seem “complex” and “worthy of respect” by leftists (and please, no one on the right thinks highly of Che), when given the power to be a murderer, he was. In spades.
And we should not put the faces of murderers on t-shirts and pretend they were just doing it for “the right reason”.
What mass murderer should we put on a t-shirt next? Tim McVeigh? (sadly, maybe he already is…)
I used to know a lot about Communism and Che and Marx and US Global Fascist Imperialism when I was in college, at parties, drinking red wine, listening to Van Morrison or Jackson Browne or Bruce or Bowie, getting “mellow” and trying to find a girl to be my “comrade” for an hour or two. Then I graduated, went to law school, and got a job putting violent criminals away for hurting innocent people and started paying back my student loans.
Now, many years later, I don’t give a crap about Marx or Che and I don’t think America is a Fascist Imperialist State. But I don’t put criminals away anymore because I figured out that there are innocent people on both sides of the law.
I still listen to Van Morrison and Jackson Browne, Bowie and lots of others and remember back to when I was an undergrad with a tabula rasa for a brain. I still drink red wine, but outgrew the other stuff a long time ago. I have a beautiful little girl and I finally found a pretty lady comrade who loves baseball and who wants to share the rest of her life with me.
Che who?
You’re becoming a snarky blogger, Pete. Don’t be so sensitive (especially when you expect Robbie and others to take your comments lightly).
Ooh, yea, I remember that plane entry one. Curious case that, and agreed, her outfit shouldn’t have caused the trouble.
Still, it gives us random/weird stories in the news
Also, eh, why not, I’ll wager on Wilson Betemit.
“What mass murderer should we put on a t-shirt next?”
Some might say W.
(and I have seen an Osama t-shirt — but it was probably a joke.)
“My wife wants one of those sequined Che shirts, anyone know where I can score one?”
Don’t know — but to add to the hypocrisy, you can buy a cashmere hoodie with Guevara on it for $340 — look here: http://tinyurl.com/yqtxhq
[“What mass murderer should we put on a t-shirt next?”
Some might say W.
(and I have seen an Osama t-shirt — but it was probably a joke.)]
George W. Bush belongs on a mass murderer t-shirt, but Osama on one is probably a joke. Interesting world we live in.
“What mass murderer should we put on a t-shirt next?”
Some might say W.”
And that tells you everything you need to know about the state of the media and this country.
Equating W and Che? Wow. But typical.
“please, the fact that most history departments at major universites lean to the left is documented pretty well. ”
Isn’t is possible that people lean to the left because they are educated about history not that they become history teachers because they lean to the left?
plank,
Conservatives find it nearly impossible to get hired (or get tenure) in many university liberal arts departments, not just history. Many wind up at think-tanks or working independently.
Again, this is well-documented, and well-known in academia (I have been an adjunct progessor off-and-on for a few years).
The idea that they get an education and then become liberals because of their education is one that many leftists like to promote (and there is a difference between leftists and liberals and registered democrats).
But it just is not so.
Jimbo,
What you said doesn’t contradict what I said. If a creationist tried to become a biology professor they would not get hired. An environmental scientist who doesn’t think the evidence of global warming is adequate would get laughed out of the room for being a terrible scientist.
Robbie, our immature yet talented second sacker, puts up the numbers but occasionally displays mental lapses. Someday when he grows up, if he’s not traded first, along with buddy Melky, we might win another championship. Maybe they should start hangin with Jeter and not Arod, but what “fun” would that be?
plank,
I beg to differ (with a smile on my face). Your post implies that people become liberals because they are educated, and (if I may stretch this thought) that if more people were educated in history then they would lean left. I disagree. The history (and other liberal arts) departments at many universities have a very liberal slant not only among the views held by the professors but in the subjects of their courses. Tyring to get a job in one of those departments is very difficult if your viewpoints do not jibe with the already-held liberal orthodoxy.
My point is that students do not get exposed to much conservative thought in university liberal arts departments. Thus it is no surprise that those students (who eventually become adults) think there is nothing wrong with wearing a Che t-shirt.
I come home to go to bed and checked to make sure I got the expected response. I had a couple of beers and you guys came through in the clutch with the righteous indignation.
I didn’t say I thought Bush was a mass murderer — but I would not necessarily say that is what Che Guevara should be remembered for either. I will say that there are large portions of the world that believe that in the balance of history, Che Guevara is a more heroic character than GWB.
GWB started a pretextual war that has led to the deaths of tens of thousands of people (including more Americans than Osama killed on 9/11). Che Guevara acted as judge and jury and ordered the deaths of hundreds of people without “due process.” Hundreds (or possibly thousands) of others died through the guerilla warfare tactics he advocated to overthrow repressive regimes.
Point: Wearing a picture of a man on your t-shirt can mean a whole bunch of different things or nothing at all… it doesn’t mean you advocate mass murder or that you are a communist. And supporting George Bush doesn’t mean that you advocate putting our troops in harms way unnecessarily. (O.K., maybe it does) And saying that A-rod hit an a-bomb is no more or less offensive than any of this other crap (although it is moronic).
By the way — I have a Buddy Holly t-shirt and a Thurman Munson jersey. That doesn’t mean I advocate death by aviation.
Night Night.
Well maybe Robbie doesn’t know who Che is, but I am wondering how much you really know about him considering he is an Argentine not a Cuban.
“(including more Americans than Osama killed on 9/11). ”
- Incredible.
Another America-hating lib.
BTW, are those Robbie’s lips or did someone put suitcase handles on his face?