Jose Rizal on Today’s World Reaction Paper

“ Dr. Jose Rizal was a philosopher, painter, poet, architect, artists, businessman, cartoonist, educator, economist, ethnologist, scientific farmer, historian, inventor, journalist, linguist, musician, mythologist, nationalist, naturalist, novelist, ophthalmic surgeon, propagandist, psychologist, scientist, sculptor, sociologist, swordsman, and theologian. ” Seems never-ending, in short Rizal was a versatile genius. He is indeed a remarkable man, no wonder he’s such a ladies’ man.

As I was doing my research on what article I should use about our Rizal reaction paper, Ideas swarm in my head. I’ve got my nose on Rizal’s different controversies such as his vices, his relation with Hitler, why he uses only Rizal as his family name and etc. But I stumble with this article entitled, Jose Rizal in today’s world: alive in every Filipino. Its title caught my attention and I clicked it, without hesitation, and as I read it my heart melted. I can feel the author’s admiration and adoration for Dr. Jose Rizal as I continue reading the article. The author talked about how people downplayed Rizal’s greatness over the years. I must say, he is right. Downplay means making people think that it is less important or serious than it really is. I couldn’t agree more with the author – about people today only know knowledge of Dr. Jose Rizal because he is in the one peso coin or because of his works – the el filibusterismo and noli me tangere – which is being taught in high school. I mean if we randomly ask people along the streets “who is Dr. Jose Rizal?” Probably they’d be saying “he is the Philippine national hero” and nothing more, I am not saying that I know much about Rizal but I know enough that I could say “I am a proud Filipino”.

Let’s admit it, people are not interested in Dr. Jose Rizal’s life and achievements anymore because these were taught since elementary until high school up until now and these “same” information are taught again and again. I’m not speaking generally, some people are very much Rizalista. For all I know, Dr. Jose Rizal deserves more honor and respect for what he had done for us Filipinos than what we are showing today. The author also talked about what Rizal would do if he is still alive today. This just tells us how we need Rizal or someone like Rizal, with our present issues – corruption, poverty, Church and many other more – to fight for us. For me, the author is depending too much in Rizal.

The statement, “If he were alive today, it is certain that he would write about . . . “, proves the author’s dependence with Rizal. Had we not learn from Rizal? Or it hadn’t sunked in yet in our minds that Rizal is long gone and we have to stand up and fight for ourselves this time. We can be a Rizal in our own way, we just have to strengthen our sense of nationalism. Talking about being a Rizal in our own way, the article also talks about how a bit of Rizal is alive in every Filipino. After reading this part of the article, I have to agree about it. For me, All Filipinos – literate or illiterate – have a bit of Rizal in them for the same blood runs in our blood. Maybe some are already half Filipinos but the heart and mind speaks. The author said it took a man born 150 years ago to show Filipinos that we are worth something, that we can have a greater future – and that it is in our power to achieve it.