Some opinions are unprovable, but innocent; others are clearly false, but harmless; and some are downright dangerous.
Some people think that brown eggs taste better than white eggs. Others think that the earth is flat. But some people think that the government should take resources from those who have them and give them to those who “need” them.
Like the woman who wrote me back in September.
On September 9, I wrote an article about foreign aid titled “Foreign Aid Folly.” But it wasn’t until just the other day that I noticed an e-mail in my in-box dated September 9 (Yes, I am drowning in e-mails.) Here is the complete e-mail I received in response to my article that was critical of foreign aid:
Stop it. We have more than enough to aid foreign countries. The problem is greed here in this country.
First of all, who are the “we” who have more than enough to aid foreign countries?
It can’t be the U.S. government. Uncle Sam has nothing of his own. Every dime in his bank account has been confiscated from American taxpayers.
It can’t be all Americans. Ask the people that work at fast food restaurants, convenience stores, and day care centers if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask the single mothers trying to raise their children if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask the families trying to make ends meet if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask those living paycheck to paycheck if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask those with college degrees who are waiting tables and struggling to pay their student loans if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask those on the verge of bankruptcy if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries. Ask those who have lost their job or business due to the government’s draconian and ridiculous response to Covid-19 if they have more than enough to aid foreign countries.
And while you’re at it, go to rich neighborhoods and knock on the doors and ask the people who do have more than enough to aid foreign countries if they would like to write a check to the countries of Egypt, India, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Columbia, Ukraine, Thailand, Indonesia, Mongolia, Poland, Croatia, Romania, Peru, or Zimbabwe? You wouldn’t collect enough money to buy a ham sandwich. Go to evangelical churches and ask Christians who do have more than enough to aid foreign countries, but think the U.S. government should give billions in foreign aid to Israel, how much they are willing to give to Israel out of their own pocket. You wouldn’t collect enough money to buy a bowl of matzah ball soup.
Second, is it greed to want to keep your own money?
Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that vote against the United States in the UN? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries with authoritarian governments? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries where U.S. jobs have been outsourced? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that will waste it? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries so they can buy weapons? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that never gets to the people in the countries that actually need it the most? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries with socialist governments? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that violate human rights? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that are nothing more than bribes? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries because it crowds out private charity? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that has been confiscated from U.S. taxpayers? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries with corrupt regimes? Is it greed to not want to give money to countries that benefits their privileged contractors?
It is a dangerous opinion to say that the U.S. government should take resources from Americans who have them and give them to foreign countries that “need” them. It is a dangerous opinion because if the government can legitimately take resources from Americans and give them to foreigners, then the government can certainly also legitimately take resources from Americans and give them to other Americans. A defense of foreign aid is a defense of the welfare state.
Sorry lady, I will not “stop it.” I will continue to point out the folly of foreign aid. I will continue to point out that no American should be forced to “contribute” to the aid of foreigners, their governments, or NGOs working in other countries. I will continue to point out that the decision to aid foreigners should be a decision left up to each individual American. I will continue to point out that all charity should be private and voluntary. And I will continue to point out that charity that is not voluntary is theft.
