Roozbeh_Gilani

An article worth reading

//www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/features/why-che-guevaras-image-is-still-a-bestseller-1225199.html

Viva Zapata!

A blast from the past,

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZlKEWBeBqg&feature...

These folks were, are a little bit influenced by Che.

Where is Cuba headed?

//www.zcommunications.org/where-is-cuba-heade...

Mohsen Namjoo-Che Guevara

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=w018KGu0Y0Y

those few who consider ahmadinezhad to be anti imperialist...

This blog was dedicated to them!

This will be my last comment on this blog. I think I have said what I had to say, and anything else would be a repeat of what I have said already. I dont expect people to agree with me. I just enjoy and cherish the fact that I say here what I want to say, what I believe to be right. I appreciate everyone's comments really. In particular those who disagree with what I said in this blog! Seriously I mean it. I particularly like to thank HG who so passionately made his case against Che/and what he stood for and where it led Cuba. 

Finally, regardless of where we stand ideologicaly, I hope and wish for a future for our beloved homeland, post criminal Islamist regime, where we can have this kind of discussions openly , defend our positions with due respect for opposing views, without fear of Jail, torture or execution by some tin pot, puppet, cowardly dictator who claims to be speaking for Allah or  Cyrus the great, yet flees the country at first sign of trouble or, begs for mercy when captured hiding in a sewage pipe, like the cowardly rat he is.... 

Thanks again for all your comments. 

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."

Revolution as an alternative

Dear HG, I have been to Cuba (last time just a few months ago) among many other Latin American countries. So, perhaps you should go ahead and watch the movie instead of reading the book to be fair on our deal! However, although I'm not a revolutionary or even a communist (I am a socialist though!) and find revolutions the least likely vehicles of reform and achieving democracy, I understand the plight of those who resort to such means of social change. In all fairness, people are not the ones who cause a revolution, but the status quo and oppressive systems that leave their people no room for hope of any peaceful reforms, do!

A good example is our own IRI that is gradually blocking all avenues to a peaceful reform or even detente. Therefore, although I do not condone revolutions as a means of change, I understand if people decide to take up arms against the regime in the absence of any viable alternative (albeit my reservations remain with regards to democratic outcomes of such means)! By the same token, I understand when peoples of Latin America (or anywhere for that matter) resorted to revolutionary struggles as the only alternative to bring about reform! In case of Cuba for instance, the extremely corrupt and tyrannical regime of Batista had left no peaceful means for dissidents to voice their demands of reform, hence the revolution!

P.S. The likes of Ahmadinejad are as phony as their "causes." Though they may fool a few hopeless romantics here and there, they will never have a genuine following for they never connect with the people they claim to represent. Hence, once their 15 minutes of fame are up, they'll end up in the dustbin of history! While real heroes whose convictions arise from their peoples' aspirations, live through generations into the future! As I mentioned before, Che lives on through Latin American hearts, as the likes of Zapata and Bolivar have for decades and centuries!

Giddy left wingers

I have met my share of them as well. They are usually shocked to hear my side. When I say how much Iranians despise AN it bursts their bubble. They come expecting me to be all cheerful about AN but get the opposite.

The point I try to make to them is that there are far worse than USA. Yes America is not perfect but IRI; AN and specially Khamenei are 1000 times worse. We don't need to slap USA. Not by AN anyway rather AN and Khamenei need to be slapped.

rea, i've met a few

rea, i've met a few left-leaning people here in good ole u.s. of a. who were giddy about ahmadi slapping their own imperialist u.s. in the face in the u.n.  the same speeches that nauseated me. it's all a matter of perspective.  it's a crazy world for sure.

arj, excuse my sarcasm

arj, excuse my sarcasm toward you.  my trip to cuba had left a big impression on my view and the romanticized view of cuba, fidel and che (which at points in my life overlapped).  especially, the iconic figure of che which was used as a dart board in rum-filled night afterhours in a some sort of speakeasy/shack in city of trinidad.  i know it's not fair to generalize the view of all cubans on a small sample that i have met in the u.s. and abroad but what i'm trying to draw is some similarities between intellectuals/revolutionaries such as shariati or safavi and others like che.  i also know that che was born to wealth and safavi probably wasn't.  one was able to go to medical school while the other went to some religious maktab and so forth...  if you go back to my first post, i urged gilani to gauge the view of the citizens of the country where an influential figure had made its mark before romanticizing that person.  i'll read the motorcycle diaries and you go to cuba.  it's a deal. :)

hamsade g.

Interesting what you said about prople romanticising what is not theirs and they know little about.

There are people in Europe, for example, who think AN is one of the very few anti-imperialists left around, fighting for our cause before we all get invaded. And when I point to the Iranian opposition, I send links with facts and figures, they tell me: "they are all traitors to their country."

Crazy world.

No Navab was no Che

• Navab completed a seminary education whereas Che (well never) completed the medical school
•  
•  
• Navab performed biopsy on his victims whereas Che performed autopsy on his (former) patients
•  
•  
• Navab lived off donations paid by the capitalist bazaari barons of Tehran whereas Che lived off  pension collected from the capitalist casino and brothel barons of Havana.
•  
•  but perhaps the most important distinction is this:

• Navab's life was saved by the then prime minister Mossadegh  but was eventually was executed under the Shah whereas Che's life was not saved by anyone, not even by Mossadegh!!

"Das Kapital meets Easy Rider"

//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Motorcycle_Diarie...

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvU6FAj70zk

You are, and perhaps don't know it!

Dear HG, why are you confusing the issue by throwing landscape or linguistic differences (Spanish vs Persian?!) in the mix? Frankly, you couldn't insult my intelligence more! What I asked here, is when you say "...they... ruined both of our countries...", are you suggesting that Cuba was a flourishing society that was ruined by the revolution? How? What did Cuba have going for it before the revolution that was ruined because of it?!

Moreover, how is Che comparable to Navab Safavi?! I asked before, I reiterate; how could Che, who fought against fully equipped armies such as that of General Batista, be compared with Navab Safavi who only killed unarmed people who were thinkers, writers and politicians and had nothing to do with military? Furthermore, Che was not just a revolutionary guerrilla, but a humanitarian who as a physician dedicated the best years of his young life to helping his fellow humans across the continent to fight diseases and despondencies inflicted upon them by centuries of despotic, colonial rules! Your insistance on comparing him to a fanatic assassin like Navab Safavi either stems from your lack of knowledge (in that case, may I recommend 'The Mototrcycle Diaries' which is a good read on this subject) or out of sheer prejudice, in which case nothing would help!

dear arj, i'm not comparing

dear arj, i'm not comparing tropical cuba to iran in terms of economy, religion, culture or landscape.  i'm comparing them in terms of dictatorship, abuse of human rights, lack of tolerance for political views different than the state's, and their staunch solidarity.  the "founding dictators" for these two countries were khomeini and castro.  their ideological mentors were safavi and guevara.  by the way, the language in cuba is spanish and in iran is persian.  another difference!  cheers.

Good discussion is going here.....

Especially those of ARj and VPK. I agree.

Now, my two cents:

1) Ghaddafi was not a puppet, not a coward, for sure!

2) Nobody knows WHAT he was saying in his last moments. How could you be so sure that he was begging for his life? Just becaue the US media have their own interpretation of a short video, should not make us believing and repeating those rumor. Does anybody here, speaks Arabic? If yes, did that person really hear what Ghaddafi was saying there ?

3) Nobody really knows what Che was saying in his last moments! All we have heard were some  (Nursery Rhyme) and poetry from his followers. So we can not speculate on them! The same way that we won't believe the stories about hazrat Abbas and Zeinab....etc. Because we haven't been there!

4) Saddam was asking to be executed by ball, like a true soldier! Does this imply that Saddam was also a HERO?

5) Today, it doesn't matter anymore, what people are saying before dying. The time of those poetic bravery  is revolved, Roozbeh. What count at the end of the day, is how those people acted, while they were alive, and what they have given to their nation and their followers before dying!

Actually I don't care if a true activist rebel, would beg for his life at the moment of his execustion. Life is something really precious.

I would not however accept from the very cowards Rajavi, who sent their  followers to death, begging for their own lives.....Although, they, too are the human beings and have the right to beg for their lives. But there, this is when I call those persons, the TRUE COWARDS.

Obama vs Castro

Here is a related note and folks really think about it.

If Obama wants to get 30 easy electoral votes there is a simple way. Invade Cuba and overthrow Castro now. It is not that hard to do. USA is right next door. All it takes is a few small force backed by ex patriot Cubans in Florida. Without Soviet backing Castro is easy picking. If he does that he will get sufficient number of Cubans in Florida to vote for him. That will change the balance to win him Florida for sure.

What is he waiting for: much simpler than Iran. With 11-12 million population and old third rate weapons it is a joke. I am being tongue in cheek but really it is a slam dunk. Wonder why no American president since fall of Soviets has done it.

Parallels?!

Dear HG, I find your comparison of Iran and Cuba as irrelevant as comparing apples and pineapples! pre-revolution Iran as an oil/gas-rich economy enjoyed a $20B in yearly oil revenue alone, while Cuba's economy before the revolution relied on organised prostitution and gambling industries as a supplement to the menial sugar industry all of which were regulated by American Mafia! So, when you quote your Cuban expat friend as "he was comparing fidel to our ruhollah and how they not only ruined both of our countries but how similar they looked." One can not help but wonder what kind of economy boom did Cuba enjoy that was ruined by the revolution?! 

Moreover, just because Mehrban did not know whom she was inadvertantly promoting as a child, does that mean all those who do and share the same convictions as Che are wrong?! I don't know if you've ever been to Latin and South America (and I don't mean week-long cruises), but those who support what Che stood for are well aware of who he was and what he fought for. What you see in him may be just another commie guerilla, but many disenfrenchised, marginalized natives of Latin America think beyond such cliches and see a man who stood for their rights against social injustice and widespread poverty inflicted upon them by the colonialists and their puppets. Che is not alone in that light as the long histroy of social rebellion in that region goes back to the likes of Zapata and Bolivar!

However, Che is and for a long time to come will be revered as a champion of his people's stance against social injustice and for social equity. Whereas, the last thing the likes of Navab Safavi had in mind was equity and social justice, for they believe that justice ultimately belongs to "god," vis a vis whom, the rights and aspirations of people meant nothing! Safavi was an assassin who killed in cold blood unarmed people who merely offered opinions and ideas to the society, whereas Che fought against well-equipped armies at the service of curropt, puppet dictators who had no regard for people and their aspirations! 

Delete

Delete please

Roozbeh_Gilani

No, that would be your job.

You're the one who romanticizes people who you don't even owe anything to. 

gilani, i tend to agree

gilani, i tend to agree with albaloo's post. you need to be more of a critical thinker when romanticizing about che, fidel and cuba.  your only criticism of cuba was that you don't think their form of government is "ideal."  really?  your defense against criticism of cuba and its comparison to iri is: 1) only expats are against the government (same lame excuse for cronies of both governments), 2) many achievements that they have accomplished (same lame ....), 3) they're world apart (i don't know what to make of this, do you mean cuba is a tropical nation, women are half naked and iran is in the highlands and their women wear hejab.  one's is an island, one is not.).

to be a critical thinker, you need to focus on similarities (although your defense of cuba's assets are also arguments for viability of iri; see above paragraph).  let's see, people of both countries risk their life to leave their miserable existence.  dissidents get executed for their political beliefs in both countries.  consequently, people in both countries are afraid to voice their opinions.  the countries are staunch allies even though communism and vf are on opposite poles (i see what you mean now!).  the only communist countries who have been able to remain in existence are those who are able to suppress opposition with an iron fist (china, north korea, and cuba).  incidentally, they are all defenders of iri and vice versa. why do you think that is?  the answer is obvious.

mehrban brought a good point that she used to stencil che's image as a young person without knowing who he really was.  irnonically, che has become a commercial product for those with anti-establishment views not knowing what his ideology and fidel's actions have done to millions of cubans for decades.  when a regime's hate for the west overrides its sense of welfare for its citizens, then we have tyranny whether in the west or the east.  when the leaders of either country preach humility, living simple and being true to an idea of equity among its citizens while they live like tycoons, then we have tyranny.

i'm not swayed to change my mind that che = navab safavi.  as i would spit in the face of navab safavi if i had the chance, i believe my cuban counerpart would do the same to che.  i do agree with you though that both were courageous.

Convictions vs grandiose

The key distingushing factor between a revolutionary leader and  a dictator is the power of convictions that compel one to remain true to the principles and causes he/she shares with the people! If the cost of remaining in power is crossing that line and betrayal of public trust, then the leader has become a full-fledged dictator! What sets Che apart from the rest of the revolutioaries, is that he did not become a politician, for he did not wish to cross that line to have to choose between his people for whom he fought, and doing what it takes to remain in power. On the other hand, the likes of Ghadafi, in their gradual path to despotism, see people as nothing but an extention of their egos!

P.S. Those who try to portray Che as anti-nationalist indeed know nothing about Latin America and its notion of nationalism. Those against whom Che fought a war, were no nationalist heroes, but an army of mercaneries and pawns to a corrupt dictator (Batista) who had turned Cuba into a cesspool of prostitution, drugs and gambling by the help of the American Mafia! Under the rule of dictator Batista and auspecies of American corporations, Cuban people either had to toil day-in, day-out in the sugar fields, or work as sex slaves in brothels, casinos and gambling houses! Indeed, Cuba of dictator Batista was a paradise for American gamblers, sex-tourists and their gracious hosts, but not for the people of Cuba!

Dear Albaloo

I think it is more complex than the way you put it. Revolution is not the problem for me. It is the nature of it. To me both theocracy and Marxism are unacceptable. I would not want to live either under IRI or Castro. 

But imagine a Secular Marxist may find Castro acceptable not IRI. An Islamist may find IRI acceptable not Castro. A democrat may find both unacceptable because they are dictatorships. Therefore I see how one would support one but not the other.

.....

Rafigh: another very good link. keep posting them.

disenchanted, amirsecular, aloobaloo joons: Thanks for visiting my humble blog. Now that I got you here, tell me, how would our own cowardly islamist scum bags ahmadinezhad and khaamenei fare when their time comes? Would they beg for mercy like the other islamist coward ghaddafi or would they have legged it to canada already?

Jahankhalil joon: If you  write a blog on this "Hakim" fellow, I promise i'll do best to comment. BTW, same question (above)on khaamenei, ahmadinezhad  to you too:)

Dear Anglo: Revolutions are not parties and people get hurt! Most of those executed immediately after cuban revolution were criminal elements with connections to Mafia on FBI's own wanted list! then there was bay of pigs, numerous on going acts of sabotage against Cuba, it's people and leadership. This papa was not a sentimental one, you are right on that my friend.

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."

2 + 2 = 4

Iranian opposition in exile = Cuban opposition in exile 

Revolutionary Iran = Revolutionary Cuba

If you are agianst one then you should be against the other

If not then you are biased or you are in love

love = blind

Are you disagreeing with me?  Stop by Cubian.com and dare to post this over there  

when one looks at cuba today, this is nothing to be proud of Che

The reality is victors write history, some of us are aware what bs it really is, others can't see it.

From the bbc today. "With Gaddafi, though, with all of them, the darkness was always
there. He sponsored terrorism overseas and in Libya, at his behest,
fingernails were ripped out and eyes were gouged; homes and hearts were
broken.

He corrupted the soul of the nation. Everyone wondered if everyone else was an informer."

Nato won, under the leadership of the USA, what else can one expect!

//www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-15405274 where some truths are used to produce big lies.  We all know the Occupy Wall Street Rallies like the 60's will produce nothing good, maybe let off some steam, but do little to alter the structure of control and interests that give us the inhumane and unjust world we live in that cynically says it care for human rights.

"Papa" didn't give the chance of the last letter to his victims

یادداشت‌های روزانهٔ چه‌گوارا

آن‌چه می‌خوانید فصلی است از «دفتر

خاطرات چه‌گوارا در بولیوی» از ۷ تا ۳۰

نوامبر ۱۹۶۶. چه در هفتم اکتبر ۱۹۶۷ در

جنگل‌های بولیوی کشته شد.

نوامبر ۱۹۶۶

۷

امروز مرحله جدیدی آغاز شد. شب‌هنگام به کشتزار رسیدیم. سفر خوبی بود. من وپاچانگو با لباس مبدل از راهکوچابامبا وارد شدیم. تماس‌های لازم برقرار شد و با دو جیپ به‌مدت دو روز به‌راه ادامه دادیم.

//www.hafteh.de/?p=23004

Roozbeh_Gilani

Do you know about the bravery of your own countrymen who fought - and were killed - in the Iran-Iraq war?

Well, we have no way of knowing what happend in final moments

       Of Che Guevara or Gaddafi. These are all legends. Clearly those who were surronding Gaddafi in last moments of his life were not fan of his! So naturally don't expect anything heroic to be reported by them!

       May be Che Guevara begged for his life may be not. This is all left to our imgination.

        Just a thought!

....

Dear Amir 1973: I appreciate your kind comments. Chakeram!

Dear HG: I dont consider Cuba to be an ideal model. I am simply pointing out to some of their undeniable achievements against all odds since the revolution. Now the fact IRI uses the same revolutionary rhethoric is indeed part  of my blog. IRI and Cuba are poles apart. There is a feature length documentary movie, in which Oliver stone interviews Fidel castro in length, asking precisely the same points you are raising. Old Fidel answering as directly as ever. Please watch this documentary if you can for sheer entertainement value. 

Dear Fozolie: No personality cult here. Just contradicting the cowardism of fake Islamist so called revolutionaries with the courage and conviction of a real Revolutionary. Histories jury is out on if the revolutions are good or bad. In the meantime, The fact remains that Revolutions only happen when there is absolutely no democratic outlet for people suffering economic, social or both ills. 

Rafigh : enjoyed the link very much, thank you

"Personal business must yield to collective interest."