What rough beast?

John Suarez, October 10, 2001

Born of privilege in a poor country he left his homeland in search of   military adventure and revolution in foreign lands. Joining together with   radical militants he played a key role in seizing an entire country Tasting   success in one nation he desired more, and expanded his scope of struggle to   the international arena.  Driven by a passionate hatred of the United States and its influence   throughout the world he declared war on America. Extreme, passionate and   true to his beliefs he had no qualms about murdering civilians for the   greater good of his cause. With the assistance of enemy nations of the   United States he was able to arm and maintain a guerilla army battling on   different continents. Years of guerilla warfare and terrorism in places as   far apart as America and Africa led to much bloodshed, and the CIA pursuing   him across the globe.

Nevertheless, he became a symbol of rebellion celebrated by large numbers of   youth in the world. Bearing his image on t-shirts and websites proclaiming   his greatness. They would argue that although you might not agree with his   methods or even the goal he sought that at least you’d have to acknowledge   that he was a man who backed up his words with action. A man of conviction   who stuck to his beliefs no matter what the consequence in lives lost.

At the same time that the United States and her allies were hunting him down   in a foreign wilderness his defiance and call for carrying out total war   against America could still be heard:  “Our every action is a battle cry against imperialism, and a battle hymn for   the people's unity against the great enemy of mankind: the United States of   America. Wherever death may surprise us, let it be welcome, provided that   this, our battle cry, may have reached some receptive ear and another hand   may be extended to wield our weapons and other men be ready to intone the   funeral dirge with the staccato singing of the machine-guns and new battle   cries of war and victory.”  The man I’ve been describing is not Osama Bin Laden, but Che Guevara. Their   lives are remarkably similar as are their words. Guevara’s call to war on

America in his Message to the Tricontinental in 1967 with an excerpt   produced above is remarkably similar to Bin Laden’s 1998 declarations below: “We predict a black day for America and the end of the United States as   United States, and will be separate states, and will retreat from our land   and collect the bodies of its sons back to America.” – ABC 1998 "The ruling to kill the Americans and their allies -- civilians and military   -- is an individual duty." – Osma Bin Laden Time Magazine 1998 There is nothing more dangerous and nightmarish than a committed fanatic   with the talent and abilities to do great evil. There is nothing more   pathetic and disgusting than those who celebrate evildoers, and wear their   images on t-shirts. Tragically, the world still has too many of both these   types.

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