Even-tempered pussycat that I am, I sometimes get so angry that I become mad! What could possibly upset a tranquil soul such as me?
Let me tell you, it raises the hair on the back of my neck when critics condemn Americans for being miserly, uncaring cads who are not at all concerned about the plight of less fortunate people in this country and abroad.
It must be because Americans have the world’s highest standard of living that causes some to be quick to label us as a bunch of self-centered ninnies who care only about ourselves.
Whether accusers are Americans or foreigners, I can’t believe they ignore the evidence to the contrary and make such claims.
For a moment, forget all the American tax dollars spent one way or another to assist individuals and groups in this country and throughout the world. According to the Wall Street Journal, in 2003 Americans personally donated $241 billion to 1.3 million charities.
In order to punctuate the magnitude of this amount of money, it equals the gross domestic product of Austria. That means Americans dug into their pockets and purses to donate an amount equal to the financial activities of Austria, certainly not a Third World nation. It doesn’t sound to me like individual Americans are coldhearted people who turn their backs on others.
In times of catastrophe anywhere in the world, the American government is quick to donate cash and other forms of help; individuals follow with personal donations. The recent Asian tsunami was a tragedy of unspeakable proportions. I have yet to see a total amount of aid Americans have sent to help the victims, but it must be astronomical.
It was the same after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. Americans reacted to both grim tragedies with unprecedented financial donations. Once I was doing research for a column, and I thought I would thumb through the yellow pages of a Springfield telephone book and count the number of nonprofit organizations. I wanted to know how many of them there were, be they tax- and/or donor-supported groups.
I finally gave up: There were so many groups in so many categories that my only conclusion was, “Wow, there is a whole bunch of them.”
I don’t know if it is possible to determine a total amount of local, state and federal taxes going annually to assorted human services undertakings. So many government programs exist that trying to label categories, much less individual causes, is staggering.
Debate will probably always exist between people who believe government spends too many tax dollars on human causes and those who believe not enough is spent. Add however many tax dollars are spent to private donations – the eventual bottom line is whopping.
Among the 1.3 million organizations receiving billions in donated money are ones that help feed, clothe, house and tend to the health of the poor and homeless; teach job skills; aid helpless victims of abuse; and provide all sorts of giving for educational purposes.
Organizations exist to raise money to fight just about every disease and illness known to medical science.
There are so many needs in the world and so many organizations trying to meet those needs. From a myriad civic organizations raising money for favorite charities, special interest nonprofit fund-raising groups, foundations, individual or corporate philanthropists, conduits exist for financial support for more causes than can readily be catalogued.
Why are Americans inclined to dig deep to support so many worthy causes? I believe the answer lies in a sense of national compassion, which in turn comes from an intuitive homage paid to the Golden Rule.
The next time someone accuses Americans of being tightfisted misers who care only for themselves, try to hide your anger and tell them about the 241 billion reasons why they are wrong.
Joe McAdoo is former chairman of the communication department at Drury University.
