To say the people and government of Haiti need help is an
understatement. Indeed, the Jan. 12 earthquake left an estimated 200,000 dead
and possibly 1.5 million people homeless.
Search and rescue teams, along with food and water supplies
have been flown in from countries across the globe. And while no amount of
money can prevent natural disasters, the Haitian people need to learn how to
improve themselves financially.
That was the thrust of a James Peron article, Wealth,
Poverty and Natural Disasters written in The Freeman recently.
Mr. Peron, the President of Laissez Faire Books, compares
the earthquake in Haiti with the 1989 quake in San Francisco. Both earthquakes
were of similar magnitude, 7.0 in Haiti, 6.9 or 7.0 in California. One major
difference was the death toll in San Francisco was 69. Peron wrote, “The
difference is wealth.”
He goes on to say the areas in San Francisco where the casualty
rates were higher were poorer areas and that wealthier regions, like wealthier
people, can better bear the burdens of even mother nature. He was talking of
such things as better infrastructure.
At best, Mr. Peron is stating the obvious, but he uses a tragedy
to preach. He ignores the concept of humanitarian aid.
Now it may be, and has been, argued that there can be no
morality without choice. From that it follows that money taken in taxes and
then used to aid those in need does not constitute a moral act.
Jacob Hornberger, president of the Future of Freedom
Foundation, raised some questions in a recent blog. Who is being moral and
caring in sending aid to Haiti? Is it the president who orders the aid sent,
the revenue service people who collect the taxes that pay for the aid or is it
Congress who writes the tax laws? Or is it the taxpayers who have no choice in
the matter?
Ultimately it’s none of the above. The truly moral and
decent people are those who, despite being taxed, ignored and even disrespected
by elected and appointed officials, still voluntarily give. Through text
messaging and a plethora of other means, Americans voluntarily contributed $210
million for aid to Haiti in six days–and that in a still bad economy.
Those people, and others around the world who also
voluntarily contribute to providing humanitarian aid are the ones who are truly
moral. And they probably don’t even think about that. They just want to help
because it’s the right thing to do.
We also praise those search and rescue, medical personnel and others
who volunteer their time and services to help those in need.
There is still decency in the world.
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