(crossposted from Daily Kos)
George Orwell once referred to Rudyard Kipling as the “prophet of British imperialism.” That he unquestionably was.
Which is not to suggest that Kipling wasn’t a great writer. He was that too.
As Orwell wrote in this brilliant essay
Kipling is the only English writer of our time who has added phrases to the language. The phrases and neologisms which we take over and use without remembering their origin do not always come from writers we admire.
One of Kipling’s most famous poems offers lessons to Hillary Clinton on how she ought to conduct herself as this marathon, bruising fight for the 2008 Democratic nomination draws to a close. And the need for party unity becomes paramount to coalesce behind a once-in-a-generation candidate who is poised to succeed in the General Election in November.
The choice is obvious: either we succeed collectively or fail individually — only to see a continuation of the most destructive domestic and foreign policies in the post-WW II era.
That is simply what is at stake in this election.