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| THE LEGACY OF CHE GUEVARA November 20, 1997 |
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Why should Che be the subject of so much attention now? Is it possible that Che represents something more than the era in which he died? Considering the manner in which he died, how will history treat Che relative to other guerrilla leaders? Will the mass iconization of Che fuel even more anti-American sentiments abroad, as well as anti-government sentiments among America's "lost generation X-ers"? What role did the CIA play in the death of Che?
Jason Kanarish of Seattle, WA, asks:During this hero-less time and relative lull in the currents of history, (if such a thing exists), is it possible that Che represents something more than the era in which he died? Was it Che's revolutionary idealism and sincere dedication to a cause that make him so appealing now, or are these characteristics that have fallaciously arisen from his 'myth'?
Mr. Jon Lee Anderson, author of "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life," responds:
I think Che's contemporary appeal is due in great measure to his "revolutionary idealism and sincere dedication to a cause," at a time in which such examples of idealism and faith are seen as quaint, quixotic or misplaced. In a sense, Che is the ultimate emblematic figure of what might be called the Decade of Youth -- the Sixties -- the last period in our country in which young people around the world rose up in revolt against the established order, believing that they could actually change things, Who better than Che exemplifies that phenomenon?
At the same time, I think that Che does transcend his era, in that he serves as a visible reminder that history is full of surprises, and that many of its most dramatic episodes have been spawned by individuals who, like him, looked around them, did not like what they saw, and thereafter dedicated their lives in efforts to change things.
In this sense, too, Che perhaps represents the perennial 'idealism of youth' and it is undoubtedly the reason why he remains an international figure of mythological dimensions, especially amongst the young. Like Icarus -- who tried to fly to the sun and died, inevitably, in his effort – Che stands out as a latter-day mythological hero, admired for his daring and his faith -- and some would say his innocence – in trying to achieve the impossible.
Considering the manner in which he died, how will history treat Che relative to other guerrilla leaders?
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