REFLECTIONS ON CHE GUEVARA

Today, many Latinos wear the iconic figure of Che Gueverra on t-shirts and other items. Yet these Latinos are here in America. They obviously know nothing of the man. Che was a Latin American revolutionary. He would have never sold out to come work for the Americans whom he blamed for much of the problems of his countrymen. No, Che was a man of action and ideals. He wanted to improve the living conditions of Latinos where they lived. He would have labled as traitorous those who would come to America for financial gain. Che saw that to empower his people, it had to be done on their soil. And that is why we have such an immigration problem today. Latinos do not care about their homelands. If the money is to be made in America, that is where they will head. This is not revolutionary thinking. This is capitalist selfishness taken to the exteme. If those Latinos put as much effort into improving their own countries, they would not have to infringe on the American citizenry. So to all young Latinos who wear the iconic image of Che on their shirts, take a que from your supposed hero, and do as he did.

Che was a medical doctor who could have lived the easy life, but he believed in what he fought for. A Latino population that could care and provide for itself. If you truly harbor "Latino Pride", be a man and return to your country of origin. Do what you can to fight for justice and equality in your homeland. Try to pull your people up from the corruption and ineptitude that has held your people back for so long. Real Latinos would not be sitting in New York or Miami playing X-box. They would be fighting in the streets of Rio and Panama City to overthrow the yoke of tyranny. Do not look to me or other Americans for sympathy. Our forefathers spilled their blood to break the yoke of dependence and struck out to make a better life for themselves. Now you come here to enjoy those rights paid for in the blood of others. This is cowardice on a grand scale such as the world has never seen. Let others do the hard work of revolution and nation building, and then move in as squatters, sucking off the life blood of another nation like leeches. Groups like La Raza sicken me. They say they fight for their people, well do it where it will count, on Latino soil. Then maybe you will earn some respect.

James J. Calautti