JOSE RIZAL OUR HERITAGE

I heard during one seminar that Jose Rizal was not anymore considered the national hero anymore, said the speaker, because of his bourgeois quality and that It is already Andres Bonifacio who is treated as the great National hero.
I think this act is outright presumptuous. It nullifies the sacrifice done by Rizal. It only shows the whimsical attitude of people to just disregard what great values are embodied by this hero of all time.

He was an epitome of intellectual refinement and quiet courage shown during the seemingly insurmountable difficulties during the trying times under Spanish rule. I have nothing against those who had chosen to participate in the arena of war-mongering, but we should take into consideration the especially noteworthy preference of Rizal in choosing the road less-travelled, in that he waged war through the use of a pen. It should be thought provoking that his use of a seemingly harmless pen procures the ire of the mighty.Through his writings, he helped keep alive the ideals of ultimately having an independent nation free from unwanted intruders. It is through his fearless writings that kept the fires of nationalism burning. And wasn't he killed because the thoughts embodied in those writings struck at the very heart of those loathsome conquestadores? He held his peace in a most dignified matter, raising not a hand to strike at the enemy. It only showed the power he weld with the use of the mighty pen as a sword.

Believe it or not Rizal had greatly confounded the enemy without shedding blood. It was not enough to quell him because even in death his words remained to tell the truth.

It was then that the revolutionaries found courage and a common prupose to thwart the oppressive invaders. Upon his death, his writings and his heroism became a candle that lighted the way of the people in those dark and dreary days of the early revolution. Not even fear and hunger could make them stop to sacrifice their lives.

His death served as a catalyst. The revolution suddenly took on an uproarious vehemence which resulted eventually with the obtaining of the most coveted reward which is freedom from the oppressor which we now enjoy. Wouldn't you try to stop and think about it? Even at these times we loathe too much riot and chaos. We want a more intellectual approach in solving the delimma that haunt our country's governance. Rizal had shown us how to fight quietly. He had shown us the other alternative. It is not right therefore to oust Jose Rizal from the honor and let us put him back on the pedestal among great heroes. Let us be proud of him our heritage.