Rizal and the Big Deal About Him

Who is Jose Rizal? The name sounds so unique that no other Filipino was given opportunity to take that name on his own. He was the only one Jose Rizal, the Philippine National Hero, and today, June 19, 2007, people are celebrating his birthday, recalling his young days, visiting the homes, making tribute to his contributions to the arts and language and heroism.

A thought beyond what can be observed in this celebration and a whole lot of praise and homage paid to the man's name, who is the real Rizal? Is he a real hero? Why do others consider him, even, a god? What does history tells us and the lesson that we can learn from it? Why do we have to be reminded of the atrocities of Spain only when there is United States and Japan who also conquered the Philippines? Do we really have to be blinded always by the misinformation feed to us by historians who are scholars of the U.S.? Are we just accepting this and nod to them? Wake up!

Jose Rizal in his time, came from a wealthy family. A well to do family who could send their children to exclusive schools in Manila, which, during that time, is not common as we are today. Their family has wide farm lands that was rich and fertile.

It was a privilege then to be a student of a Catholic School then, usually associated with the status in life, and Rizal was indeed lucky. During schooling years, he suffered some discrimination from authorities which made him angry at friars. Though discriminated, he didn't suffered as much as those who are farming peasants by that time where friars are the administrators of lands. These peasants have suffered much more, sometimes, even killed. The likes of Andres Bonifacio and the Katipuneros are truly oppressed in almost all aspects of their lives.

Rizal's fight was not to become a free nation, but to have equality among Filipinos and Spanish citizens here in the Philippines. He wanted to put a stop on the discrimination and peasantry among the Filipinos and doesn't want to make this country as one free nation which is the opposite of the principles fought by the Katipuneros. With Rizal, we are still colonized by the Spaniards but with equal rights among them. Isn't it odd? This is one point why I am still unconvinced that he should be our national hero after all these years. He has no faith on Filipino leadership and all that comes with it. Well, maybe he is right! Take a look at what is happening today in our present system of government.

Another point is that, Rizal only stand for the point in history where the Philippines has been colonized by the Spaniards, he will always be a reminder of the tyranny that, we should not forget, was passed on to the Americans by the virtue of the Treaty of Paris where a considerable amount of money was involved between Americans and Spaniards. We, the Philippines, is the item being sold and bought by the Americans! With Rizal as the National hero, we will never remember that we have been oppressed by the Americans too. Remember Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar? There was a point in time when there was Filipino-American War, bloodier than the Spanish war have set on us. Many natives died on that war in a short period of time. So why Rizal? because he is the perfect escape goat of the Americans to be erased on the books as oppressors and aggressors.

I have nothing against Rizal, it is just I feel that the truth about many things has been blurred for a purpose. Most of the conspirators of our modern world came from a mighty nation who always show itself as liberators yet, had a lot of hidden vested interest. What is sad about it is that our present government is a puppet of it and we are not doing anything to stop it. We have always been nodding to them, thinking that they are far more better than us without even considering all of these things they have been doing to our nation since the first time they are here. We are dumb because we wanted to become one. When can we wake up from this agonizing nightmare????