Rizal at Carson
Sunday, August 14th, 2005One time, we went to Carson City, which has one of the biggest Filipino communities in California, to check out a Filipino commercial center. They have a seafood market, with grocery items imported from the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countres, Jollibee, Red Ribbon, Chowking, and a Panaderia. Built at the middle of the property is a sculpture dedicated to the Filipinos’ national hero, Jose Rizal.
My dad had a chat with a few kababayan’s and asked why a dedication was made for Rizal and not for Bonifacio at the center, and one replied, "It won’t be possible. Bonifacio carries a bolo, deadly weapon. The Americans won’t allow that!". They just laughed.
I also laughed when I heard about it. I remembered why we have Rizal as our National Hero in the first place, and the Americans had a lot to do with it.
