No villains, only heroes

I have not yet watched Heneral Luna. I intend to do so soon. It comes highly commended and has thus far received rave reviews.  There are rumors about the Oscars. And there is revived interest in General Antonio Luna -- of whom not very much was known by most, except that he and his brother, Juan Luna, a painter, were brothers and both, acclaimed as heroes.

Quite unfortunately, the enthusiasm for Heneral Luna has translated into disdain for General Emilio Aguinaldo, president of the First Philippine Republic.  It was the same thing when attention was on Andres Bonifacio. Both are considered "victims" of Emilio Aguinaldo's despotism. And so it is that one hero enjoys an apotheosis, another suffers a serious diminution in esteem and regard.

I am not using terms loosely. "Hero" correctly refers to Aguinaldo as it does to Bonifacio, Rizal, Mabini, Paterno, Sakay, etc. We were taught that in our elementary grades, and it remains sound civics and good history till this day.

The period following the end of the Spanish regime, the declaration of Philippine Independence and the Filipino-American War was a very confusing period. Sadly, our heroes were locked in power struggles, many times, with deadly consequences for some. In that period of confusion, there were different views about what was best for the country, and these were held with ardor and zeal. Amid volatile circumstances, it was not too difficult to magnify differences and then to cringe in fright at them as threats.

None is less a hero.  What made them heroes is not necessarily that they died. Rather it was because they ardently held to their beliefs about what was good for the country at that time -- whether it was independence or strategic collaboration with the Americans.  I have no doubt that all of them thought his position to be most promising for the country, and because perspectives and views did not always coincide, results were not always pleasant.

I will watch Heneral Luna when I get the  chance to, but I know, from reading history and from an understanding of the life-world as well as of ideologies that we will sometimes differ about views to which we are passionately devoted and which we will zealously champion -- and will not be any less noble because of our differences!