Veneration Without Understanding by Renato

Constantino

Veneration Without Understanding is an article written by Renato Constantino who

expresses and states what a real hero possess. It is not Dr. Jose Rizal who is the leader
of our revolution but Bonifacio who thought of starting the KKK to fight for the real
freedom. In no uncertain terms he placed himself against Bonifacio and those Filipinos
who were fighting for the country’s liberty. The Philippine Revolution has always been
overshadowed by the omnipresent figure and the towering reputation of Rizal.

Because Rizal took no part in that Revolution and in fact repudiated it, the general
regard for our Revolution is not as high as it otherwise would be. On the other hand,
because we refuse to analyze the significance of his repudiation, our understanding of
Rizal and of his role in our national development remains superficial. This is a disservice
to the event, to the man, and to us. Rizal never advocated independence, nor did he
advocate armed resistance to the government.

He urged reform from within by publicity, by public education, and appeal to the public
conscience.

Without Rizal there may have been a delay in the maturation of our libertarian struggle,
but the economic development of the period would have insured the same result. Rizal
maybe accelerated it. Rizal may have given form and articulation and color to the
aspirations of the people. But even without him, the nationalist struggle would have
ensued. This is likewise true in the case of present-day national liberation movements.
The fundamental cause of mass action is not the utterances of a leader; rather, these
leaders have been impelled to action by historical forces unleashed by social
development.

We must therefore not fall into the error of projecting the role of the individual to the
extent of denying the play of these forces as well as the creative energies of the people
who are the true makers of their own history. Rizal’s intellectual excellence paved the
way for the winning of the name for the natives of the land. People must not blame Rizal
for being the Philippine national hero because they are not in the position of Dr. Jose
Rizal who thought of changing the lives of the Filipinos who became the slaves of the
Spaniards.

He never thought of the consequence but instead, he continued to fight because he

trusts himself that he could make a change out of his intelligence. What Rizal’s main
purpose is for liberty, without abuses, the country was a peaceful country and all are
working for the purpose of country’s progress and not the independence which means
to stand as one country. This article portrays that we must know the strengths and
weaknesses of our national hero. We must not stick to what was their declared name.

We are all regarding Dr. Jose Rizal as one of our role models. We look up to him and
“praise” him for that slight contribution he did for us to gain colonial independence. It
was so surprising, however, that there are, still, a lot of things that we do not know
about him and what really happened during his existence. Constantino was right when
he made mention of how we are blinded by our adoration of how great Rizal was…of
how martyr he was…of how he died for our country through unjust execution by the
Spaniards.