Reds: The Target Edition

Target inc., went screaming into the night after "critics" stomped their feet and demanded that an image in their shops be covered up before the children see it.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Target Corp said on Friday it had pulled a CD carrying case bearing Ernesto "Che" Guevara's image after an outcry by critics who label the Marxist revolutionary a murderer and totalitarian symbol.

Target had touted a music disc carrying case for Che admirers emblazoned with the Argentine-born guerrilla's iconic 1960 portrait by Alberto Diaz, or "Korda." A set of small earphones was superimposed on the image, suggesting he was tuned in to an iPod or other music player.

"It is never our intent to offend any of our guests through the merchandise we carry," Target said in a statement. "We have made the decision to remove this item from our shelves and we sincerely apologize for any discomfort this situation may have caused our guests."

Yes, the irony. A company who imports slave labor produced products from the world's leading Communist regime (China) censors a CD which only shows a photo of an already dead Communist. The critics who are offended by a symbol but are willing to buy products produced by the real thing offend me. Will target remove them from their stores to appease me? Hypocrites.

But wait, who are the critics? Ah, Investor's Business Daily, who apparently ask (and I kid you not):

"What next? Hitler backpacks? Pol Pot cookware? Pinochet pantyhose?" wrote Investor's Business Daily in an editorial earlier this month, citing the Guevara case as a model of "tyrant-chic."

Apparently the offended party is Wall Street and they of course have no problem with Communism or supporting it. I know what actual Communism is and I can say with near certainty that Hitler and Pinochet were not remotely left leaning. Hitler took over the Socialist part, but there is no doubt he was a fascist. Pinochet was a right wing dictator that the US installed and backed.

As a former Soviet citizen, it is offensive to me that Capitalism is seen as the antithesis to tyranny. I felt oppressed by the Soviets and I feel oppressed by the Capitalists, in different ways of course. As an American citizen I am offended by the power that corporate apparatchiks have in our every day lives. As a customer, I am offended by Target's ridiculous censorship ploy. Because if they really did not want to support tyranny, they could do it in more meaningful ways, like by actually not supporting tyranny. As for Investor's Business Daily, they offend me more than Che did or does now on the cover of a CD. Why? Anyone who does not see why or understand why offends me on moral grounds.