is he really a hero?

Good question... but you know, for my opinion, rizal is wealthy, yes that's true and he was fortunate to be sent to different sophisticated schools and places. But then to sacrifice his life for the sake of all filipinos really worth it. Who among wealthy people nowadays would defend the filipino people without fear of losing his/her life? Nobody! Sometimes word is powerful than sword.

the difference between andres bonifacio and jose rizal is that, bonifacio is more on violence and sheds blood while rizal fights with his pen and encourages others. rizal is an intelect, more of the brains. while bonifacio was more on muscles and bolos. you cant defeat the guns using a bolos, thats why rizal refuse to join with bonifacio because he knows that they have no fight using only the bolos and they will all die.

Dr. Jose Rizal came from wealthy family but he still choose to do patriotic things rather than spend his time in wine, women and amusement like some Filipinos who went to Europe to study. One of the patriotic things Jose Rizal did at that time, he wrote 2 novels: El Filibusterismo (The Filibuster) and Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not). Andres Bonifacio is also a hero because he was one of the founder of K.K.K. He might not be wealthy but he fought Spaniards with all his courage. Probably the reason why Jose Rizal was regarded as a national hero could be traced back in American occupation or American regime in the Philippines. The Americans chose Jose Rizal because they feared that Filipinos could be encourage to emulate things that Andres Bonifacio did for the Philippines. Things that could trigger a revolution is one thing that the Americans did not want at that time.
In my own point of view, Andres Bonifacio and Jose Rizal were indeed two great heroes. They could have the different ways of fighting what they truly believe in, but they did their best to contribute anything for the freedom of the Philippines.
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have you taken your 'Rizal's life&works' subject??? it's compulsory to all the colleges and universities.. if you already taken it.. im pretty sure you'll understand WHY Pepe is the national hero.. not andres.. that's my question before.. now it's answered.. he is deserving..

well, the said great Filiponos has contributed a lot in our phil indipendence. Somehow, they had different ways to combat battlecry for freedom. Rizal contributed a great impact compare by means of writings to awakens more Filipinos at that time. He used his wealth to travel around the world to gain more knowledge.He informed Filipino people (repormista)abroad to form a group against spaniards by means of peaceful ways.

Bonifacio was a hero in his own sense maybe because he was brave enough to fight the Spaniards with just the bolo (even though he never won any of the battles he engaged in).

Rizal on the other hand did not want to sacrifice the blood of the Filipinos through revolts. He studied in Europe and learned all about Liberalism in order to create reforms that would give freedom to the Filipinos.

Perhaps because he didn't awaken nationalism in Filipinos as much as Rizal did. I'm not really rooting for either person, but Rizal was able to reach out to more people than Bonifacio did. And guess who the people will remember?
Also, I read somewhere that Bonifacio actually preferred the revolver over close-combat weapons like bolos.

Rizal just wanted the Spanish oppression to stop. His two books were written to show the Spanish abuses. Why didnt he join the Katipunan? He wanted a peaceful way to reform the Spanish abuses.

Bonifacio was for armed struggle. Kick the Spaniards out of the Philippines.

Why Rizal was picked? Did the Filipinos have a choice? The Americans chose Rizal for us. They wanted a complacent colony here in the Philippines.

Andres Bonifacio was killed by no less than Emilio Aguinaldo, that's in the history books. And that's so very bad to be always remembered by people. That shows the well know crab mentality of Filipinos. And that is power struggle, and from Marcos who won the elections but who was ousted by some, remember he was not ousted by the great majority, there is power struggle. And those who get the reign are the heroes. I for one is not in favor of the so called EDSA revolution which was repeated when they seated Gloria as President. I hope that will not happen for the third time. Bonifacio seemed to be more nationalistic but he was killed and he was then very young.

yah that's true we all know that rizal comes from a rich family ever since he was a kid but did you kno that ever since he was a kid he is already a hero he is always proud to be a pilipino. he study to help the filipino. as he said education, education is the way to be free. not tragedy