Arnie.d said:

It is weird isn't it, these "dictator watches". And everyone accepts it apparently. Imagine what would happen if Germans start selling Hitler watches as souvenirs.

Well, it isn't that it is widespread. I have never actually seen anyone with a Mao watch, Sean's is the first I have ever heard of. And it is not like they are produced and sold in America as novelty items. They are pieces of Chinese propaganda, made and sold in China. I think it is more the American's sense of humor (yeah, somehow some of us find things like Mao watches humerously ironic) that gets them imported and sold on ebay. I highly doubt anyone who is buying or selling these things are really Mao fans.

Lordjedi seems to think that most Americans would not even know who the hell Mao Tse-tung is, and I must concede that he is probably right, a lot of people are pretty clueless. But a lot of us here obviously recognized him, and I know the people I hang out with would recongnize him. I think anyone who knows their history and saw people wearing these things around would likely take offense.

Also it should be noted that while the Guevera shirts are pretty popular, there are actually a good deal of people that take issue with it and are offended by them. I hear people complain about them from time to time, but for the most part, most people don't have a clue who he is, and alot of the ones who do have a clue don't really stop to make the collection. Guevera is known more for his bravery and his standing up and dying for what he believed in than he is known for being a marxist. Most people identify him with the world "freedom fighter" rather than "communist". He has become kind of a brand name and it is "hip" to wear him around. Not trying to justify it, this is shameful ignorance. I just wanted Arnie to know that American's in general are not okay with wearing clothes promoting dictators.

As far as for Germans selling Hitler watches, the Germans are pretty sensitive about that part of time in their history, no such thing would happen there. But with the whole "holocaust never happened" crap that seems to be getting increasingly popular, Hitler seems to becoming less and less of a bad guy. Might not belong before some idiots start touting him a hero who was wronged by the evil American Empire and their worldwide police force. In fact, this is probably already happening, I'd google it, but I am feeling in a fairly positive mood at the moment and I do not wish to spoil that just yet.