This was my birthday gift from my mother-in-law the other day. With Tiananmen Square fresh in everyone’s mind, I’m wondering just how appropriate it would be to wear this shirt in public.
I’m leaning on the ‘no’ side. My wife doesn’t see an issue with it.
Please discuss.
Hardly anyone here has the faintest idea of who this murdering bastard was. I don’t think you’ll have any problems. Ridicule, perhaps, but that’s about all. 
i guess they would find it a cool shirt 
Yeah, I’m not even going to get into my feelings about the personage on the shirt, only the perspective from the general public. Isn’t the red star sort of the Communist [tm] though, regardless of country or republic?
Yes, but who cares. The world is to the one who dares
Really, don’t worry about it – there used to be a popular restaurant/bar on Civic Boulevard that was entirely decorated with Chairman Mao/Red Guard memorabilia. And one done out in Nazi/concentration camp regalia (OK, that one got shut down, I believe).
Nobody will bat an eye at a mugshot of old Che, I guarantee it, although Fred Smith might demand to bear your children if he sees you in it.
Didn’t you notice everyone wearing Che shirts a few years ago? My wife sister in law has one, and she has no idea that it is a real person. It’s considered a trendy shirt, nothing more.
No problem. I have worn a T-shirt with the Vietnamese red star on it on a green background and no-one noticed.
Give it to Fred Smith at the next HH. 
I think it’s considered to be a trendy logo and not much more.
Che shirts were all over the place on my recent trip to Hong Kong. I saw one that was that famous silhouette done entirely in rhinestones, and another, my favorite- Che’s face superimposed on a barcode.
He must be rolling in his grave, eh? :bravo:
i wear one and no problems so far - and my Che is bigger than yours!
Yes he was a marxist, but it’s all about the revolutionary spirit – fighting for the underdogs, struggling to free the poor, oppressed, hardworking common people from the crushing boots of their corrupt and greedy capitalist overlords, in particular imperialistic foreign overlords and the shameless local ones who collaborate with such imperialistic scum to squeeze profits out of the blood and sweat of the abused common man.
Or, as the World’s Greatest Rock and Roll Band put it:
[quote]Let’s drink to the hard working people
Let’s drink to the lowly of birth
Raise your glass to the good and the evil
Let’s drink to the salt of the earth
Say a prayer for the common foot soldier
Spare a thought for his back breaking work
Say a prayer for his wife and his children
Who burn the fires and who still till the earth[/quote]
That’s what it’s all about. Wear the shirt with pride and screw the naysayers.
It’s as bad as wearing a Mother Theresa shirt.
Yes he was a marxist, but it’s all about the revolutionary spirit – fighting for the underdogs, struggling to free the poor, oppressed, hardworking common people from the crushing boots of their corrupt and greedy capitalist overlords, in particular imperialistic foreign overlords and the shameless local ones who collaborate with such imperialistic scum to squeeze profits out of the blood and sweat of the abused common man.[/quote]
None of which have anything to do with the shirt though. The shirt is just about looking cool and sporting a trendy pop culture icon. I would bet good money that 90% of the people wearing those shirts couldn’t even pronounce Che Guevara, let alone tell you who he was or what he stood for.
And none of which have particularly much to do with the actual point you quoted.
Tianamen square is fresh in everyone’s minds?
Soon after the attack on the Twin Towers I had students turn up in Osama Bin Laden T-shirts.
Micheal Stipe of R.E.M. wears a similar red star T-shirt in a lot of R.E.M. videos.
I wouldn’t wear it as it promotes the wearing of berets.
I think only a minor population in Taiwan would recognize Che. As for the star, maybe only political fanatics would care? Che’s image is more like a commodity/culture icon these days… IMO. Maybe people who’s seen The Motorcycle Diaries would recognize him?
hey your mother-in-law is pretty 
to give this as a present for you!
anyway, no worries wearing this if you don’t look a bit taiwanese…even for those offended, they would just think this foreigner is hip…so your risk is pretty low…
I remember the discussion becoming somewhat heated when the “Cult of Che” issue came up in the International Politics forum (surprise surprise ). There is no question that some people have strong opinions on the subject.
As far as the OP’s question goes, though, I think the consensus of opinion expressed so far is pretty much on the money: you’re not going to run into many problems wearing that on the street in Taiwan.
(It would be fun to do an experiment though. Who was it that suggested that you wear it to the Happy Hour tonight? I think that’s a great plan…)
I can never get to those Happy Hours, as I work every weeknight! MeSoSad!
This would be mucho cooler…
