Soapbox

Reaching Out

I respond to the letter of 1/6/05 about American aid to tsunami victims in which the author complained that all the world hates the U.S. but loves our money. When he asks “where is the UN when we need their support?” I assume he means that if they want our money, they must agree to our wars, even if they think they are wrong. He closes by saying, “If you want to play with our ball, you have to play by our rules”.

With those kind of conditions, doesn’t that make our money not aid, but extortion?

The US loves to remind the world that it is the only superpower. Well, of those to whom much is given, much is expected. It is fitting that America should lead the way in assistance in times of global crisis, and after a slow start, we are doing just that. Good for us. What does the writer want- a medal? Oh that’s right- he wants the UN to back everything we do.

While the U.S. provides more in raw dollars to foreign aid than any other single nation, we are far from being the “most generous nation on earth” that we like to label ourselves. Other countries do not give as much total cash but are more generous as a percentage with what they have. We would do well not to look down on them or diminish their contributions. This is not supposed to be a competition to see who can look more generous (Australia, with 1/100th of the U.S.’s GNP would be currently be winning, if it were) but a race to save human lives.

What difference does it make how much money Egypt or Libya is donating? Do we measure ourselves by their yardstick? Should we help only if others do first? And France, by the way, immediately sent a team of over 100 doctors and other specialists to the area and has now pledged over $57M. The writer should check his facts before attacking America’s favorite whipping boy.

Finally, did Jesus say to care for others only if they agree to follow your rules, to feed the poor only if they’ll sit through your church service first? Should we help starving children only if their governments agree to run things our way, or if other governments give as much as we do? Of course not. We help because when you have so much more than everyone else, it’s just the right thing to do.

At least that should be why we do it. Perhaps the writer has a different agenda for his “charity”. I guess some people demand recognition and applause for doing the right thing- others just do it.