Che Guevara and ALAS-ISU

The Association of Latin American Students here at Illinois State University have been advertising their upcoming formal. Unfortunately, I have seen their flyers around campus. The flyers are huge pictures of Che Guevara with information about the event printed over him.
The decision on the part of students in the ALAS to represent themselves with this man, of all people, surprises me. His legacy is an horrible atrocity against the Cuban people, amongst others. Why would they lionize someone who oppressed other Latin Americans?

In the interest of seeking understanding, and perhaps spreading a bit of knowledge if it came to it, I emailed the provided email address from the ALAS flyers. (If you know me, you know this was a rather bold move) This is the message I sent:

To whom it may concern:

I ask a question of curiosity: Why has the Association of Latin American Students chosen to put the face of Che Guevara on their flyers advertising an association event? I would sincerely seek to know the reasoning behind this, and thank you for the given response.

Well, this is the response I received:

there are many reasons...first he is well known (not just the latino community) he fits with the theme of latinos on campus wanting to make a change through justly ways and he showed how a change can be made by intelluctual change instead of violent change

Very interesting. Tonight, I emailed a reply to this individual, and this time I made sure the email was also sent to the president of the ALAS and to their faculty advisor. The message:

That is a very strange answer. I've done a little bit of reading about Che Guevara, and his legacy seems to be one of violent change.

He was instrumental to setting up the communist government in Cuba which continues to deny many basic human rights to its own people. He was responsible for establishing the "labor-camp" system, a veritable Cuban gulag. He killed many, many people, a great deal whom their only crime was to not support the communist revolution.

Given his "radical" history, and the pain he inflicted on the Cuban people, why would the ALAS want to represent themselves with his image?

I'm looking very forward to hearing their responses. I'll be sure to keep you updated as to the development of this situation.

Also, here are a few resources concerning Che's bloody history:
The Cult of Che - Don't Applaud the Motorcycle Diaries
Che Chic: It's Tres Disgusting

Update
Wow, I received a response much faster than I expected. This is from the individual who first emailed me:

Che's legacy is more than his doing in Cuba. His youthful years as a doctor in training showed that. You can read about that (or also watch Motorcycle Diaries). Then the setting of the Communist government in Cuba can be side from the flip side of the coin.

I was once in Cuba with my family from Mexico i remember a lady telling me:"sure communism looks bad, but is it really, if we get a democracy....i want that government to provide free medical care that castro provides us, i want my kids education to continue being free......"

also, Cuba has the highest literacy rate in the Americas........

these things are some thoughts to ponder about................

was Che instrumental with that or only the bad human right violations......there is one thing to realize when looking at Cuba: the different between Fidel's Cuba and Che's vision before he was assasinated.

***i am in no way communist......but i like to see the whole picture before just focusing on one topic.

He was instrumental to setting up the communist government in Cuba which continues to deny many basic human rights to its own people. (current, not Che)

given his "radical" history, and the pain he inflicted on the Cuban people, why would the ALAS want to represent themselves with his image (latin american history can be radical and we cant deny that.....we cant forget the past, this way it doesnt repeat itself, radical with the wrongdoind of the Spainish conquest and murder of indigenous people, radical with american wrongdoing and exploitation of latin america.......malcom X was radical, can african americans not identify with him)

Wow. There is so much wrong with that. I shall have to get to the rest of it at a later date. In the meantime, I have a chemistry term paper to write (ugh, the conflict of science and politics continues).