Dr. Jose Rizal, a hero?

Most of us believe that Dr. Jose P. Rizal is the Philippines' greatest hero. This was taught even before we stepped the very first grade in school. His name and face was used as a national figure, from a coin to the major roads and parks in the country. But what was really this man was doing during his time why he was given these credits.

Yes, Rizal was a great worker of literature, arts and philosophy, a humanitarian who always eye to save, to protect and to preserve life, a linguist who tried to understand the world's tongue to attain peace and unity, a mold who inspired the young generations to shape their future in order to live life to the fullest, but the least was that, he let himself to be a slave by his own intelligence. What knowledge is without wisdom? He might be too knowledgeable but his wisdom was only on the tip of his tongue and on the plot of his literary works. Was he really that unwise of allowing his own masterpieces be his deepest trap to fall to? His works revealed the Spanish abominations and inhuman sovereignty over the Philippines which awaken our brethren from a long nap, and these after all made him a hero. As far as I comprehend, a hero is someone who devoted his life and works for the sake and welfare of the abused, abducted and socially harassed and for the compassion of the downtrodden. What he did was, like his characters, Crisostomo and Simoun, was a failure letting Filipino blood be shed to his own land. (to be continued...)