Ché Guevara

A blog on bandanas may not be the best possible forum to discuss politics, but it does amaze me time and time again how people adore this symbol of rebellion and revolution; not the under privileged, but very much the wealthy, hip and chic (that are so much what Ché fought against).

Yes, Ché was in many ways an admirable man, a tireless revolutionary with great ideas and a much needed initiator of social reform, but at the same time he was, and became more and more so, a totalitarian, a murderer, the founder of Cuba's notorious labor camps, a strict censor of writing and music and head of a firing squad – eliminating his political enemies.

A member of Red Youth Vanguard leftist political party with his face wrapped in a bandana sporting a portrait of Ernesto "Che" Guevara, takes part in a 2004 rally in Moscow. Hundreds of protesters gathered to mark the anniversary of the 'pro-communist coup d'etat of 1993'. 

Much has been written, sung and filmed about Ché, pro and contra and even more can be found on the web.

One interesting article on the commercialization of Ché's image can be found here; and more specifically on the famous photo that adorns bandanas, upper arms & breasts, baseball caps, knickers, toilet paper and bikini briefs.