We are our heroes

Throughout the world and in all cultures, stories of heroes have been used to inspire and motivate children. From the beginning of man and through centuries of civilization, heroic stories have been used to transfer cultural values to future generations.

Who are the heroes, in history or in fiction, that you admire and hold as role models to your children? The answers to this question will tell you the kind of person you are and the values that guide your life.

This is the reason also why it is so important that society is very careful about the persons that are honored as heroes. It should begin with each one asking ourselves who are our heroes and why we admire them. We should ask ourselves what ideals they represent and if we are living up to those ideals.

Society condemns the radical Muslims who believe that Osama Bin Laden is a hero. Yet, among many Christians, there are those who admire dictators and racists. In Europe, there is a growing far right movement that use Nazi Swastika as their flag. In the United States, there many white Southerners who insist on using the Confederate flag, the symbol of slavery to African Americans.

In spite of the many statements of Pope Francis condemning income inequality and the failure of trickle down ideology, there are Catholics who continue to believe that the Pope is an unrealistic idealist and not a hero. They continue to believe that material wealth is the ultimate prize in their “real world.” They  proclaim themselves as Christians but their role models are those who find ways of evading taxes and money laundering. Both practices have been condemned by Pope Francis.

Our choice of heroes reveal what we actually believe as right and wrong. It also reveals the kinds of behavior that a person believe is needed to succeed in life. There are those, for example, who publicly condemn crime, but their private heroes are the “Godfathers” of the legendary Cosa Nostra or Mafia.

But there are many positive reasons why society needs heroes. Aside from being role models, perhaps the most important contribution of heroes is that they give us hope. It is not strange that more heroes emerge during the darkest periods of a nation’s history.

The Spanish and American colonial regimes brought us heroes like Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora; and, Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, Emilio Aguinaldo, Apolinario  Mabini and Miguel Malvar. The Commonwealth period and the struggle for independence gave us Manual Quezon, Sergio Osmena and Claro Recto. The Second World War and the Japanese Occupation gave us the brothers Pedro  and Jose Abad Santos; and guerrilla leaders like Jess Villamor and those in the ROTC Hunters guerrilla group.

The Marcos martial law regime again gave the nation so many heroes, many of whom simply “disappeared” and killed for their defiance of a regime that replaced democracy and human rights with martial law and one man rule. The nation honors heroes like Ninoy Aquino, Evelio Javier, Macling and Jose Diokno.

During the darkest days of any people – in the famous words of NAMFREL – heroes “light a candle” in a dark world. Heroes send us a message that no matter how much suffering there is in our nation, there are people among us who will have the courage to do the right thing even when most people are too scared or indifferent to do anything. Then we have the heroes who are willing to make the supreme sacrifice and offer their lives.

Our country has always been fortunate that whenever we are at our darkest periods, there are heroes who emerge to  inspire us and to overcome adversaries. There was Jose Rizal, whose two novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo opened the eyes of the Filipino people to the tyranny of Spanish rule. This led to his public execution which had the effect of being the trigger for the Philippine War for Independence. There was Andres Bonifacio who led the “Cry at Balintawak” which signalled the beginning of the armed struggle for Philippine Independence.

In 1983, the Philippines faced the prospect of a continuing Marcos dynasty that would rule the country. When it seemed, that there was no visible end to the dark days of martial law, Ninoy came home facing certain imprisonment or death. His assassination upon his return triggered the People Power Revolution and the return of democracy.

It is the obligation of society – especially parents and teachers – to teach our children and students who are our heroes and what values they represent for us and what we are doing to try to live up to those values. Teaching about heroes should be done in the form of stories about their lives.

I like to believe that all people from all types of cultures will always have a strong desire for a just world. I like to believe that, in this world, people will always trust that good things will happen to good people; and that bad things will happen to bad people. I like to believe that in our darkest moments, heroes will always emerge to give us hope that in the end there will be fairness and justice for all.

Creative Writing Classes

a.) Young Writers’ Hangout for Kids & Teens: September 3 (1:30-3pm), September 10 (10am-12nn), September 17 (1:30-3pm)

b.) Fiction Writing for Adults with Menchu A. Sarmiento: October 8 (1:30-5:30pm)

Classes at Fully Booked Bonifacio High Street.  For registration and fee details text 0917-6240196 or email [email protected].

Email: [email protected]