Horrible images of devastation are flooding in from Haiti, in the wake of a massive earthquake that has reportedly left thousands dead. Disaster relief is on the way, with the lion’s share coming from the United States, of course. The U.S. military counterattacks tragedy as quickly as attacks from enemy nations, and a brigade of government and civilian relief agencies is never far behind them. In a nation with 22% real unemployment, people who haven’t worked in months are digging deep to make Red Cross donations.
Who will pay for the lion’s share of disaster relief, after the lion goes broke?
The governments and people of other nations make admirable efforts, but none has the combination of strength and compassion that makes Americans the first to lift debris from broken bodies, or raise emergency medical tents where hospitals once stood. The selfish and brutal tyrannies jockeying for dominance of the post-American world do not have the heart, and the good people fearfully watching their shadows lengthen don’t have the wealth.
Make no mistake: it is wealth that feeds the hungry, cures the sick, and mends the broken. Capitalism is the practical expression of freedom, and wealth allows the tangible expression of compassion. Right now, the Red Cross can use hard cash from capitalists more than sincere best wishes from penniless bystanders. Kind hearts and helplessness blend into despair.
Mankind cannot afford to watch America slide into a socialist coma. It cannot endure the voice of freedom fading into a whisper. Those unemployed people sending their bottom dollar to help the people of Haiti would do more if they could. They don’t want to be unemployed. Businesses don’t want to lay people off. A nation with our incredible resources and human capital has no end of work to do. High unemployment means we see a future in which endeavor is pointless, and risk is foolish… but only through enterprise and risk can we create the fabulous wealth that turns the love of a noble people into waves of food and medicine, to fill the wounds of the world.
If we allow selfish politicians to mortgage the future, to feed their hunger for power, we’re doing more than just saddling our children with a mountain of debt. We’re draining the strength they will need to help the victims of tsunamis, earthquakes, and famines to come. We’re sentencing them to watch the disasters of the future in helpless frustration. We are not just mortgaging their comforts… we’re devouring the economic bone and muscle they need to fulfill the destiny that was left for them by the heroes of our past, and telling them they can’t be heroes, because we weren’t strong and proud enough to be free.
Thank God we still have the wealth and will to help the people of Haiti today. If we let the architects of the socialist state build a hospice where we can die quietly, we won’t be able to help the people of tomorrow, either domestically or abroad. It’s about time we remembered our duty to mankind, and accept the truth that only the industry of free men can defeat hunger, poverty, and disease.
To donate to the Red Cross relief effort, click here.
Update: great round-up of more ways to help from the Anchoress here.
Cross-posted at Hot Air.
I can’t help but think that the next “Horrible images of devastation” might come from right next door…in neighboring Oklahoma, Georgia, New Hampshire, Oregon or Ohio. It can happen at any moment. America today is in NO financial condition to do much, save for thoughts and prayers and that’s a crying shame.
It is from strength that much good comes. A strong nation digs down deep and cares for the weak among the many, just as America has done for many, many years. However, there’s only so much a weakened nation can do…even for its own.
I yearn for a return to the days when America was a strong, vibrant, quality goods producing, hard working nation of men and women dedicated to preserving their freedoms and quality way of life.
Sadly, all I see on the horizon is a train-wreck called Socialism taking a strangle hold on this once great country.
I’m among the many millions who can only pray for the victims and their families in Haiti. I sincerely wish I could do more.
Damn, John, you write well. Another home run. Already gave to some of the relief efforts, but I can dig a little deeper . . . . as a tribute to your essay this time.
Excellent piece John – just finished writing my own thoughts about the same subject, and we touched on many of the same themes, the main being that American capitalism is the world’s last, best and most reliable hope when disaster strikes. Lost in consideration of the “benevolent” state is that people from capitalist nations not only give more, but are more able to give. Americans send prayers, yes, but we also seen money, resources, manpower and knowledge. Regardless of all that, my thoughts are with the people of Haiti.
That was pure poetry. Thank you.
“Capitalism is the practical expression of freedom…”
Holy smokes, man–you need to be writing speeches for some lucky conservative in 2012.
Jeff S. wrote:
A lucky conservative named John Hayward.
John you constantly amaze me with your gifts. The world is a funny place, America bashing is all the rage until a disaster strikes somewhere especially in a third world nation. Then as we always do we step to the forefront and do as much as we can to help. Once the crisis is passed and the rebuilding is underway we are bashed once again. Sadly I think the days of the great American traditions of aid and charity are passing from this world.
“It’s about time we remembered our duty to mankind, and accept the truth that only the industry of free men can defeat hunger, poverty, and disease.”
Where is that duty written exactly? I feel no duty to help the world anymore, for 2 centuries we’ve helped them and they hate us all the more for it. We have paid our price in blood and lives, 100s of thousands of them.Why is it only America must pay this price? Its actually time for the US to stay home and take care of its own for just once. We will rebuild Haiti while your neighborhood school’s roof remains unfixed, tell me how that makes any sense at all.
Agreed all, and a wonderful post, John. America has always been a champion for those in need, and it is my hope that your post will find a way for those in here top dig into their pockets to help.
Interesting statistics: America donated a whopping $221 million to the Red Cross last year. That equates to $0.74 per man, woman and child in the U.S. Staggering numbers but, given that we are capitalists, we need to do more. Socialist countries are outgunning us, based upon population: Sweden, $4.41/person; Norway, $4.42/person; the Swiss, a huge $13.64/per person. Even little Liechtenstein, currently in a major Socialist movement, ponied up $14.92/person. We, as Americans, can do better, can’t we?
Oh, and before I get waylaid, here are the addresses to the statistics:
http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_red_cro_don-health-red-cross-donations
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Area_and_population_of_European_countries
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_North_American_countries_by_population_density
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