Americans are the most charitable people in the world. Documented studies have shown without a doubt that Americans give far more to charity and help out their fellow man in times of trouble than any other private citizenry in the world. Look at these statistics.
* When the tragic tsunami hit Asia and devastated so many countries, American private citizens gave 1.78 billion dollars in relief above and beyond what the U.S. Government gave to help bring relief to the suffering. This size of donations just on the private sector side dwarfed even the best of what other developed nations could contribute.
* Only a few months later when a terrible earthquake devastated Pakistan, Americans rallied again giving 78 million dollars to aid the suffering there.
* When hurricane Katrina and Rita devastated the US coast states, Americans from all over the nation responded with 3.12 billion dollars and relief efforts are still underway to reach out to those displaced by that terrible storm.
These are only a few of the hundreds of examples of charity that Americans willingly give to every year whenever the need is great. Americans donate an estimated one quarter of a trillion dollars to charities such as the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army and The American Cancer Society. The amount that Americans give through their places of worship exceeds the gross national product of all but the most prosperous of nations.
A lot of sources like to maintain the idea that Americans are selfish and spoiled, but the statistics above prove otherwise. The belief in giving to others in need is deeply ingrained in the American psyche and the reasons are diverse and a very important part of the American dream and how this country came to be.
Part of the reason lies in the immigrant heritage which virtually everybody who makes up this great country can call their linage. When we go back to our roots, we all started out with a dream and this great country to grow that dream in. And all along the way, we helped each other. So we have a generational debt to pay back to all who pitched in and helped our ancestors establish this great country.
Our eagerness to help others doesn’t stop at our shores. Americans give more than any other nation to help out others in need around the world. Our instinct to give is stronger than even our national politics. We always give generously even if an enemy of America is hurt by storm or disease. When it comes to helping out our fellow man, we put aside national animosities and reach out. We Americans have a deep empathy for others. That is what it means to be “an American”.
That empathy for people of all races and colors, nationalities and countries of origin is very natural for Americans to feel. We are a people made up of the immigrants from all lands. And so when we reach out and aid others who are suffering, we all feel like we are touching our own family that way. That is the heart of what makes American charity so amazing and so generous.
Even if the countries we reach out to don’t always appreciate what we do, Americans will always be a people who will not sit by and let others suffer. We have that deeply held national conviction that we are all going to get through this life together. And that is just one of the many reasons why America is the greatest country in the world.
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