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He was hot and photogenic and the idiots of the world will put him on a shirt. So, I think this article subjects the phenomenon to excessive analysis and outright excludes a number of critical aspects of Cuban history that may be playing a role here, for example, the 'special period'.

I think there is shocking exclusion in this article of the fact that there exists a certain level of respect for Cuba and Castro in the rest of the world, right or wrong, for liberating themselves initially - and subsequently resisting - United States economic dominance and control. The cost to the people is great and that is also recognized and rejected as immoral. The entire 'special period' and resulting oil independence (excluding the foreign commercial interests involved) has created both propaganda opportunity for Cuba, of course, but also renewed respect from many disparate groups, for example, urban environmentalists.

We know many Cubans want to leave and I also think Che should certainly be deconstructed as a folk hero as all leaders should be naturally subject to scrutiny. But he was one man and his actions as a man have to be analyzed in some fuller context. It excuses nothing for me, but bloody revolution and power confusion can quickly excuse, for many, blood-thirstiness.

I don't support executions, period, and I sure as hell don't support them without due process - but that is happening all over the world. So I just keep coming back to this fact: Che is hot and photogenic and so he gets to be on t-shirts. He is the Justin Timberlake of revolutionaries. It's that shallow, I think.

Thanks for posting this! Good thought-provoking stuff.