Che Lives

Dear Che,

This image of you came from a poster I picked up on Berkeley’s Telegraph Avenue in the early 70s. The poster hangs on my wall, next to a Che calendar.

You not only became a symbol, you went from icon status to cult figure with lots of teenagers worldwide now wearing t-shirts with your face on them. This suggests you are nearing brand status on merchandise. I’m sure this would amuse you.

Yet, the image remains taboo -- especially among those in power who sought your destruction. Your pose is always the same: defiant, prophetic, kindly, wise, and all the other attributes associated with a human whose myth grows, even after your execution by the CIA in Bolivia 40 years ago.

For me, your image fosters a freedom that it is our right to banish limitations imposed on those who have no voice. Perhaps your image is a reminder for us to rebel against the tyranny of petty, self-serving dogma that enslaves us and leads us away from our desire for peace and freedom.