Chris Blattman

Chris Blattman

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“Grow up as good revolutionaries.” A letter from Che to his children, 1965

Dear Hildita, Aleidita, Camilo, Celia, And Ernesto,

If you ever have to read this letter, it will be because I am no longer with you. You practically will not remember me, and the smaller ones will not remember me at all.

Your father has been a man who acted on his beliefs and has certainly been loyal to his convictions.

Grow up as good revolutionaries. Study hard so that you can master technology, which allows us to master nature. Remember that the revolution is what is important, and each one of us, alone is worth nothing.

Above all, always be capable of feeling deeply any injustice committed against anyone, anywhere in the world. This is the most beautiful quality in a revolutionary.

Until forever, my children. I still hope to see you.

A great big kiss and a big hug from,

Papa

From Letters of Note. h/t @robert_a_blair

28 Responses

  1. I would like to see whether Che killed people, or put homosexuals in camps. He should not be blamed for what the Cuban regime did later on. He was committed with what he believed it was necessary to bring social change. You can disagree with his methods, but still find some value on his ideas

  2. Pingback: “Grow up as good revolutionaries.” A letter from Che to his children, 1965 | Francisco Magana's Blog

  3. There are heroes out there that have never killed anyone. Che killed scores of people. Chris goes on and on about international development and uses the tools of social sciences in order to show how to engage in sustainability and combat many of the world’s problems. Then, he posts a note about how to be a “good” that’s right, GOOD revolutionary from a man who killed hundreds of people, and placed many innocent people in labor camps. Do you see the contradiction? How can you write about your so-called IDEALS against injustice and the betterment of human nature, and then CONTRADICT THEM as Ernesto did? I just DON’T understand the OBSESSION with individuals and this man, when they are so many pacifists and non-violent revolutionaries out there. It boggles me, and I will fight until I die to expose this man. People need to WAKE UP. This letter is a prime example of this: you need to feel deeply for injustice, but at the same time, you further enhance the injustices that you wish to fight against? Ernesto never, ever made any sense. It deeply saddens me when I see people in the Western World idolizing this man, when they have the means to research, and even interview those that had suffered under this man. Again, like I said originally, if you really know what he did, and honor him, that’s different. I have a hard time Chris really knows, but if he did, I will no longer follow his blog or read his articles for being hypocritical. But alas, I do not know, so therefore, I will still be an avid reader. You cannot wish a more peaceful world, a more productive world, by admiring revolutionaries who murdered people under the name of their ideology. Makes. No. Sense.

  4. You missed my point, which is: hero or anti-hero is largely a function of the appraiser’s own beliefs/prejudices. Few people are without fault. And just because someone has fault doesn’t mean that all of his ideas and writings are morally bankrupt.

  5. That wasn’t my point. Pick a letter from some other hero. There are many good (famous) people who have never murdered anyone. What does this have to do with America or Americans? Did I say, pick a letter from an American? LittleChe, you do not understand my logic based on your post. Read it again.

  6. Monica: I don’t think there is any person or group which is totally without fault. By your own logic, people who do not support the Native American genocide, the war crimes of Vietnam, or the illegal wars (proxy and otherwise) in the Middle East, should not display the American flag. America does terrible things and also represents some terrible things as well. The same goes for Che.

  7. Dear Children,

    Please be good revolutionaries. Kill all those who do not agree with your ideals. Kill those that you think are conta-revolutionary. Set up more concentration camps around Cuba, and put the homosexuals there, particularly in the camp called “UMAP.” Please also put the Catholics, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and all other religious groups that we see as against our ideals. Fight for what you believe in. Kill anyone who gets in your way.

    Chris, I highly recommend you do your research. This is sicking. Out of alllllll the letters to pick, this one from a man who killed many innocent individuals just because they did not agree with him. I think it’s extremely hypocritical of you to publish articles for the greater good, and then publish a letter from a man who was a murderer. Please, before you wear your Che t-shirts, do you research. If you still agree with him, then I don’t mind if you support him or wear t-shirts with his picture. But to ignore the things that he did in the name of his ideals and support this man is ignorant. I don’t know how many times I’ve asked young individuals wearing his face on a t-shirt, “Do you know who he is or what he did?” Some look a me blankly. Some said he was on the cover of the Rage against the Machine album. If you truly, truly think this guy is as great as he is, if you truly agree with his ideals, you’re going to have to make some serious excuses for the motivation behind articles that you’ve published, because right now, you make no sense. At all.

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