By Orlando Watson

The catastrophic earthquake damage to Haiti has elicited an international response and brought humanitarians, aid groups, and countries together in a large scale relief effort. The widespread infrastructure damage, death toll, shortage of food and water, and economic damage necessitates this compassionate human response.

 Americans realize that boots on the ground and charity will increase the speed and effectiveness of recovery in Haiti. This understanding explains why many have already donated money to relief organizations and others make their way to the island nation to provide assistance. Despite the rapid response of millions who possess different political viewpoints, the myth of the liberal monopoly on compassion remains embedded in our society.

Here’s the truth: Americans do care and do give, just some more than others. After the Asian Tsunami, in 2004, the United States government pledged $900millionUSD to tsunami relief. American individuals donated $2billionUSD in food, cash, and clothing. That’s more than double the amount the government pledged. Private charities at the time were overwhelmed with the donations.

According to Arthur Brooks, in his 2006 book “Who Really Cares,” Americans give more than the citizens of any other country. But who is doing all this giving and who isn’t? We often hear that liberals care more about the less fortunate and henceforth, give more than conservatives. Quite the contrary! Brooks, in “Who Really Cares,” finds that conservatives give about thirty percent more than liberals. Meanwhile, America’s working poor give a larger percentage of their incomes to charity than any other income group. While the rich give more in total amount, the working poor offer almost 30 percent more of their income to charitable causes. Regardless of political rhetoric, actions speak louder than words.

The liberal monopoly on compassion is a myth, an illusion and an emphatic lie. However, conservatives fail to convince the public otherwise. Resistance to socialized medicine and other institutions of the welfare state seemingly contradict claims of compassion. Yet, it is a principled defense of liberty and freedom that lead conservatives to such political positions. It is not a deficiency of compassion. So the next time you hear that conservatives do not care about the poor, the disenfranchised, and the less fortunate, one should remember that giving is embedded within the very social fabric of America. As the recovery effort in Haiti intensifies, claimant attitudes about charity serve little purpose.

 Orlando Watson is currently a senior Public Policy major at the College of William and Mary. The writings and ideas of Thomas Jefferson, Frederick Douglass, and F.A. Hayek influenced him politically. Soon after being introduced to the philosophy of liberty, he realized the importance of restoring limited government, free markets, and personal freedom in our united States of America. His interests include investing, watching documentary films, and rooting for the New York Knicks.