book proposal

Right now I'm reading a book of short stories by Rudyard Kipling. Besides the fact that it falls into my least favorite literary genre (that of the British 19th century) I am given several other reasons to dislike it.

Here's the setting for all of the stories:
A white man stationed in India.

That part I like. I've never been to India, but maybe someday I will go. However, when I go, it will be much different than when it was a British colony.

Kipling does not consider the Indians (punjabs, Hindus, natives, inferiors) to actually be people. They are beasts. There are several lines that state this quite clearly, using the words above. Women are not much better off. While (British) women are still people, they are barely above the Indians. They are emotional, stupid, vain, and frightened by everything. (The phrase "I was as frightened as a woman" comes up a few times, and it makes me laugh in its absurdity.)

I know that this is how people were during this time. But there's a reason why they are no longer like this. If I wrote a book with these sentiments today, it would be banned from school libraries (and picked up by fanatic KKK / cult members). I think this would happen even if it was a send-up of colonial literature. However, it might also be recieved with wide acclaim for its "boldness."

I think I'll do it. I'll write a book (or at least a story) with 1800's colonial ideals. Not just one racist, sexist character. All of them. Because that's the norm. And I'll prove the old adage "write what you know," because if there's anything I know, its racism & sexism.