there are many liberal creeps who cite this as proof of our "racist imperialism." They just don't get what Kipling was getting at.
There is a difference between civilized, modern, human beings and brutal, tribal cultures. It is time for humans to move beyond those racist, murderous, animalistic tribal practices. Defending humans from those practices is not, itself, a racist act. It is the burden of civilized people.
The fact that, in this respect, the humans who represented these civilized concepts were primarily "white" is merely coincidence. Concentrating on the racial makeup of the people that "imposed" civilization on the brutal cultures of places like the late 1800s, early 1900s, Phillipines is, itself, a racist idea.
Is human sacrifice an "OK thing" because it is a part of a native culture? Is slavery? Is misogony?
Sorry, but the idea of defending rape, murder and racism as equal to modern culture based on some perverted "prime directive" is ludicrous. Kipling had it right. It just happened to be 'white men' who were saddled with this particular trial.
It doesn't make 'white men' better than other humans, merely the ones who got to a civilized state first. There is a big temptation to merely ignore this "burden" and let the "animals" kill themsleves off, while civilization moves on without them. That notion would be truly racist.
Wrong question.
"If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don’t have to worry about answers."
-- Thomas Pynchon
It is the burden of civilized people.
I disagree with that from a moral standpoint. You may have a theological argument but I am not going to debate matters of faith.
You may consider it to be a responsibility (burden) but the fact is that spreading "democracy" and enlightenment is not among the enumerated powers granted to the govt.
So feel free to spend your money and possibly life to bring good things to the savages. Just don't demand that me and mine join you in your crusade.
Not all European colonists were created equal either if one studies England,France,Spain and Portugal together. I'd put France right at the bottom. From the looks of modern Europe, there's fertile ground for all those African preachers converted from their pagan ways.