rizal: what made him a hero?

RIZAL: WHAT MADE HIM A HERO?

"What matters death if one dies for what one loves, for native land and cherished ones?" A hero may be easy to spell but it is never easy to become. Heroes are people who have gained enormous identity among others. They are role models, well-respected, nationalistic and have contributed to society causing national unity resulting to something really big like freedom. Between the different faces of heroes we know who stands out among the rest? Is it Rizal or is Bonifacio of better identity? Would it be Aguinaldo or Mabini? If there is a need to place someone as national hero then who should we pick between those huge names?

It is always said in many cultures that the pen is mightier than the sword, the blood of academic scholars are better than that blood of warriors, wars are not won in the battlefield, it’s pure politics.

The name Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio are some of the well-known personalities that have been mentioned in the annals of Philippine history. The exemplary deeds that they had done for our country; in order to achieve freedom from the hands of the Spanish colonizers is worth to be remembered specially by the present generation. Indeed, their heroism is well done.

Apparently, there are some students, faculty, leftist, writers, critics and even we perhaps questioned the credibility of Rizal when he got the title of being our “Philippine National Hero” why not Bonifacio which results to the existence of pro-Bonifacio and anti-Rizal or pro-Rizal and anti-Bonifacio. The comparison of these two personalities and made endless debate of who should be our national hero is much discussed in the environment of academe.
Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio opted for different courses of action. Rizal fought against the friars with the use of his pen. Bonifacio advocated for revolution. According to author Renato Constantino, the reason Rizal was given special attention as a hero by the American colonial administration because Rizal was interpreted to represent peaceful political advocacy, unlike more radical people whose ideas could inspire resistance against American rule so Rizal was unworthy of his high status since he was a "United States-sponsored hero. Others have hailed Andres Bonifacio as the “true” national hero for organizing the Philippine government and leading the first anti-colonial revolution in Asia. The Retraction Controversy has also placed doubts on Rizal’s nationalism and his anti-clerical stance. There are also some historians who believe that Rizal did not actually advocate independence but merely wanted representation and better rights for Filipinos while remaining under Spanish rule.
Why is Rizal considered the National Hero in the Philippines? What are his contributions to Philippine history that makes him preeminent among other Filipino heroes? Here are some of the reasons Rizal is a national hero of the Philippines.
In late 19th Century, Rizal became the voice of a people long oppressed by centuries-old Spanish rule. As an educated man, he was exposed to some of the abuses by Spanish friars and government officials. As a founder and member of the La Liga Filipina, he originally pushed for reforms of Spanish colonial rule.
He wrote Noli Me Tangere and El Felibusterismo. Although fictional, the novels described the abuses committed by Spanish officials against the locals. Alarmed over the threat posed by the two novels, angry Spanish officials pushed for Rizal's arrest and exile in Dapitan.
While exiled in Dapitan, Rizal devoted himself to improving the conditions of people in Dapitan.
During this time, the concept of "Filipino" was taking shape among the inhabitants of the islands. Before, society was divided among Spanish citizens and indios (locals). Some began to form nationalistic ideas. Rizal's two novels inspired locals to call not for Spanish government reforms but for independence from Spain.

This alarmed the Spanish colonial government. In 1896, Rizal was executed in Bagumbayan (Rizal Park) on charges of sedition and treason. The execution did not prevent the calls for independence to stop. The Katipunan led a full scale revolutionary war against the Spanish colonial government.
Although Rizal did not push for independence, his writings and execution inspired many to revolt against Spain. This is the primary reason Jose Rizal is a national hero. He instilled the sense of nationalism among citizens oppressed by centuries-old Spanish rule.
Rizal did not advocate for armed struggle. He is the epitome of the saying "The pen is mightier than the sword." He was also a learned man who pushed for the emancipation of the people through education. He advocated for equal rights be accorded to locals and not just limited to Spanish colonials. And finally, he was a martyr that stood for his beliefs.

REFLECTION Every hero plays his own unique role in history, which is that to defend and promote the interests of the nation at any particular time of national crisis, sacrificing his or her own life and self-interest.

Rizal consciously planted and nourished the seed of nationalism. In his novels, essays and proclamations he promoted the idea of freedom and the eventuality of national independence.

Rizal planted the seed of revolution, and Bonifacio watered it.