To Ban Che Guevara or Not to Ban Che
December 28, 2006, 9:44 am |
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by Andrew L. Jaffee
Target Corp said on Friday it had pulled a CD carrying case bearing Ernesto “Che” Guevara’s image after an outcry by critics who label the Marxist revolutionary a murderer and totalitarian symbol.
- Reuters
Sounds like censorship to me, though I would not argue with the statement that Che was a “Marxist revolutionary [and] a murderer and totalitarian symbol.” This brings up an interesting question: What is an open and free society willing to tolerate as free expression?
But is this censorship in the strictest sense of the word? The government at the local, state, or national levels had no hand in Target’s pulling of the CD. This was a sovereign company’s decision, demonstrating the self-regulating tendencies of a free and capitalist nation. It would be wrong to force Target to continue hocking the Che CD. On this issue, we have varying opinions:
Some business columnists had decried the product, sold under Target’s brand, saying the trendy discount chain was giving in to a misguided fashion craze while ignoring Guevara’s role in bringing Fidel Castro’s Communist rule to Cuba.
“What next? Hitler backpacks? Pol Pot cookware? Pinochet pantyhose?” wrote Investor’s Business Daily in an editorial earlier this month, citing the Guevara case as a model of “tyrant-chic.” …
In a rare moment of accord, some social activists said they were not sorry to see Guevara taken off Target’s shelves, but on different grounds.
“Che would just be rolling in his grave if he knew his face was making money for Target,” said Nell Greenberg, spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Global Exchange. “Everyone who does support that legacy of social justice is certainly not going to be opposed to stopping Target from using that tool.” …
Alas, poor Che: The “defender” of the plebians is being exploited by the capitalist pigs:
For people gift-shopping, Guevara’s image is part of a motley of symbols of retro cool that populate flea market stalls and chic designer boutiques.
It has also been used by globally recognized brands. Swatch put Guevara on a wristwatch and Smirnoff vodka featured the picture in an advertising campaign.
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Categories, Tags: United States, Political Correctness, Society, Communism / Socialism
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