Richie Waves

Two of Florida’s U.S. representatives are at war with Ireland –- at least with the city of Galway -- over its council’s plans to erect a statue honoring revolutionary Che Guevara.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who was born in Cuba and chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, fired off a statement Wednesday saying, “Instead of honoring a killer, the City Council of Galway should honor the victims of Che and the Castro dictatorship by rejecting this proposal.”

Too late, one of the coastal city’s council members said, according to the Irish news website The Journal.ie:

Che Guevara Statue In Ireland Causes Outrage In Florida

Some outrage here too. Unlike the complete lack of when we erected a statue of the bloody handed tyrant, Reagan.

By the looks of the mock up (slightly sucky) it looks like more of an Honouring of the famous picture of Che Created by Irishman, Jim Fitzpatrick. Possibly one of the most iconic pictures of the last century.

Alazarin

Meh... just another bit of American Exceptionalism. If they get their knickers in a twist over it so much the better. Know of anything else that presses their buttons? Could have a field day with people like that so long as they don't work themselves up into a heart attack.

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Darkley

they aint american

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Alazarin

Could have fooled me: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lucifer Baphomet

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Darkley

the people putting up the statue aint american

Innula Zenovka

Does it work both ways? I mean, do many places in Florida consult the Galway City Council before deciding what statues to put up?

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Alazarin

Quite so. And it wasn't in America either. So why are American politicians getting their knickers in a twist over it? Surely they've got enough to keep themselves busy with in their home district.

Adam Zaius

Mind you. Che was a complete and utter despicable scumbag of the highest order.

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Originally Posted by Joshua Ignore Adam, he's just a troll.

Richie Waves

There's far worse than him held up as heroes.

Sonja Aeghin

It's campaign shenanigans by Ros-Lehtinen. Miami and its Cuban vote are in her district.

Adam Zaius

That does not mean he needs a statue.

Void

it's their home districts keeping them busy doing it... if they don't then their opponents can steal away the cuban voting contingent by making them look bad for not saying anything. Most of the rest of us couldn't give a flip despite a lot of us thinking it's poor taste.

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Lucifer Baphomet

Usual anti Che bullshit.

Richie Waves

It's not a statue, as i said, it's a monument depicting one of the most iconic pictures of the 20th century. and the work of a Galway man.

look at this:

Void

I don't have a dog in this fight, or enough information to form an opinion one way or another, but those two bolded terms strike me as peculiar for a revolution; particularly one that seated a very contentious person in power, making him responsible for that persons deeds as well. would I be right to assume that's the main sources of complaint?

Darkley

reminds me of a story about New Labour (in 1997) putting up a painting of Cromwell just before a visit from the Irish Prime Minister

abVanmoer

Although in theory it isn't really anyone in Florida's business whom the city of Galway honours, one can understand the outrage felt by many Cuban Americans who consider Che to be a mass murderer and brutal human rights abuser.

Despite being lionised by starry eyed Western intellectuals as a noble folk hero and an icon of the revolution there is plenty of evidence to suggest that Che was anything but. For example:
There are also multiple accusations of Che being a homophobe and a racist. For example some quotes attributed to him:
Irrespective of which history of Che is true, one can't help but wonder why the good people of Galway decided to honour so controversial a figure or if they would happily accept the City of Miami erecting a statue glorifying Cromwell, perhaps seated on a horse as he rides into Drogheda.

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Ann Otoole

a flea took a dump. floridians are *OUTRAGED!11*

Richie Waves

Pretty sure Che would have been pretty homophobic, along with, pretty much the rest of the world at the time. I find it odd you cut one quote of Che's into three separate quotes though. It was the sort of casual racism one would expect from a middle class Argentinian of the time. However, deeds speak louder than words, he went, fought and died to help black Bolivians free themselves from imperialism. He was the first to speak against Apartheid in the US and South Africa at the UN.

As for the list, shit happens in war. 20k died under the man he helped liberate that island from. Long now forgotten by the embittered rich folk who fled after their arrival.

BTw, Galway is equal opportunity handing out honours:

In 1984 Ronald Reagan was awarded a Doctorate in Laws honoris causis by University College Galway. The timing was good, as it was exactly one day after the United States of America announced that it would not accept the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court.

No blood on that mans hands

Lucifer Baphomet

Multiple reasons.

Che was of Irish descent, a Lynch, from Galway.

As stated, Jim Fitzpatrick, who created the iconic Che image is Irish, and this monument will be a 3D representation of that.

Finally, because the local councillor is a senior member of the Irish Cuba Support Group which has been helping forge links between Eire and Cuba for almost 20 years.

Cindy Claveau

In America? Got a few hours?







Shall I go on?

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Kaimi Kyomoon

Um let's see. I saw "Motorcycle Diaries" I think the movie ended before he turned into a bad person and was still a medical doctor...wanting to save the world...

Things weren't so great for many Cubans under Batista were they? Except for those in his landowning class, many of whom moved to Florida when the revolution got started.

Anyway that image of Che is certainly iconic.

And I clearly don't know much about anything.