The White Man's Burden

I'm white and I heard this phrase often while I was growing up. Not from my parents, who were fairly progressive for their times. Especially my mother. I did hear it from other distant relatives though. And I picked up adult conversations here and there. I was first born, and a good eavesdropper.

It wasn't so much said as implied, actually. White people are civilized, accomplished, and ambituous. But the others? Well, just look at them. Three babies by the time they turn sixteen. Living on welfare. You get the idea. We had some very staunch Republicans in our family. And if you read my book, Rebounding, you'll come across Sam Adams. He is loosely based on an uncle by marriage--though my uncle was much kinder to the people in his family. In fact, he treated his wife very well. It was just, well, "them," that he wasn't comfortable with.

When I went to college I inherited the burden. I met a man from Thailand who practiced Islam and, because he was such a good person, I set out to save his soul from eternal damnation by teaching the word of God as I knew it then. But he showed me the Qur'an and taught me the word of God instead.

White people are stronger, better in character, smarter. We owe it to the world to save them from themselves. This message has not diminished over the 50 years of my life. In fact, I think it has become much stronger.

My kids don't buy it though. They're half Asian. Even those with lighter skin color don't consider themselves to be white. There are times when I have to remind them that stereotyping white people is also racist.

I don't know who created the concept, but I wish someone would put an end to it. It would free the lighter skinned people, like me, from the arrogance of thinking we could save the world. And maybe then we would all be able to talk it out.