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Open letter to Urban Outfitters: Nothing ‘cool’ about murderer Che Guevara
Ted Marlow
CEO, Urban Outfitters
30 Industrial Park Blvd.
Trenton, SC 29847
Dear Mr. Marlow,
The Human Rights Foundation recently became aware of the sale of merchandise at Urban Outfitters emblazoned with the image of communist leader Che Guevara, at times accompanied by the word “revolución.” As a nonprofit organization dedicated to the defense of human rights, we would like to bring your attention to Guevara’s bloody and anti-democratic legacy.
Although Guevara’s image has appeared on countless items for consumption over the last few decades as a symbol of change for the better, Guevara’s actual record is that of a brutal tyrant who suppressed individual freedom in Cuba and murdered those who challenged his worldview.
Guevara undoubtedly played a key role in the overthrow of the dictatorial Batista regime in January of 1959. However, despite promises of a new democratic government, within a few months he and Fidel Castro had designed and installed a full-blown police state that deprived the overwhelming majority of Cuban citizens of democracy and human rights.
From 1959 to 1960, the new government carried out summary executions of at least 1,118 people by firing squad. Guevara himself presided over the notorious La Cabaña prison, where hundreds of the executions took place. For comparison’s sake, the Batista regime was responsible for 747 noncombatant deaths between 1952 and 1959. The Cuban revolution under the direction of Guevara also saw the rise of forced labor camps which gave way a few years later to full-scale concentration camps. These were filled with dissidents, homosexuals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Afro-Cuban priests, and anyone else who had committed “crimes” against the new moral revolution.
Despite the mountain of evidence for these abuses, much of which comes directly from Guevara’s own meticulous journals, popular culture still largely views him as a revolutionary of the people. Urban Outfitters is certainly not the only company to take advantage of Guevara’s fame to sell merchandise.
Dr. Tar
September 20th, 2012
@Cardigan
The links didn’t work for me. Try this one
http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/19/open-letter-to-urban-outfitters-nothing-cool-about-murderer-che-guevara/
Kudos Human Rights Foundation.
And for shame Urban Outfitters. You have the right to merchandise what you please, but be ready to be held accountable.
It would be nice to set up some kind of monitoring group to trace Che wear back to its makers and shine a bright light on the promotion of a mass murderer.
Dan Ryan Galt
September 20th, 2012
If I may quote our friends over at The People’s Cube,
“Che’s DEAD. Get over it”
I don’t shop at Urban Outfitters and NEVER will.
http://www.therealcuba.com/MurderedbyChe.htm
GM Car Of The Future
September 20th, 2012
Speaking of Heroes Of The Left:
Wait for Obama to commute the life sentence of Mumia on his way out of the White House…
** crickets **
Anonymous
September 20th, 2012
Broken Link
Johnny Freedom
September 20th, 2012
…but you know what IS cool about Che?
https://www.lifelibertyetc.com/image/large/Good-Commie-Shirt-07.jpg
muddjuice (Absolutist)
September 20th, 2012
Hopefully, when sanity is resumed in this country, the good people will look at pics of Obama with the same disdain….
muddjuice (Absolutist)
September 20th, 2012
@ Johnny
Nice. The girl is cute, the shirt is great and the rifle is awesome.
Although, I think that rifle would knock her on her can….
pink Floyd
September 20th, 2012
I own a couple of “Dead Che” and “No Che” T-shirts and almost every time I wear them someone will say, “who is that?” When I tell them, they just stare blankly as if I was speaking Klingon.
even steven
September 20th, 2012
I guess the dweebs at Urban Outfitters think murderous despots are hip and cool. I wonder if they have any Vlad the Impaler t-shirts.
Ricky
September 20th, 2012
I’m waiting for a t-shirt that has the John Wayne Gacy’s Big Brothers/Big Sisters chapter.
Or a commercial for Manwich with Jeffrey Dahmer (CGI of course) as their spokesman..
saying: a sandwich is a sandwich, but a Manwich is a meal..
or…How about Kony 2012 for President?
pink Floyd
September 20th, 2012
@even steven, Vlad the Impaler T-shirt! Now that I WOULD wear.
Ya sure
September 20th, 2012
Shun Urban Outfitters and shun any idiot that wears that crap.
Shun them for the contagious parasites they are.
AbigailAdams
September 20th, 2012
“Utopian Outfitters” more like.
conservative cowgirl
September 20th, 2012
Judging from their blog page on their website, I don’t believe any part of that letter will sink in…
MAJ Mike
September 20th, 2012
Urban Outfitters is a store for douchebags. People who wear that $hit usually got beat up at recess.
beachmom
September 20th, 2012
Their stuff is ugly anyway.