Commemorating an Asian Nationalist
Dr. Jose Rizal was executed on this day in 1896. He was only 35 years old. The day has since been commemorated in the Philippines as “Rizal Day” or “National Heroes Day.”
“Genius has no country. It blossoms everywhere. Genius is like the light, the air. It is the heritage of all. ” – Rizal 1884
“The tyranny of some is possible only through the cowardice of others.” – Rizal 1889
My early childhood in the Philippines was filled with stories of Rizal’s intellectual achievements and his eventual martyrdom for the cause of the anti-colonial revolt against Spain’s 300 year domination of the Philippines. Over the years, Rizal’s reputation has waxed and waned, subjected to extreme idolization or critical re-evaluation of his heroic role in the revolution that helped end Spanish colonization of the Philippines.
But Rizal’s work endures and his writings are a rich source of inspiration, even in this age of Manny Pacquiao. I rediscovered Rizal as an adult when I actually read his novels (Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo), not just the comic-book simplifications I grew up reading as a child. I discovered his still-fresh sense of humor, the sharp satiric descriptions that accompanied his dramatic narrative of late 19th century colonial life.
Rizal’s writings need to be read and re-read, especially by this lapsed Filipino who gets a thrill visiting Seattle’s Jose Rizal Park and driving over and under its green Jose Rizal bridge.
