The Death Of Rugged American Individualism

Some of the Federal Government's response to the damage from Katrina does cause me to pause. It seems as though we are going to perpetuate the notion of the Government being responsible for the well-being of of each individual down to the smallest detail while undermining the obligation of each of us to take care of our brothers in need via our own generosity. There has even been informal talk around my current place of work of the Navy providing aid to those Sailors who lost their homes in the disaster in order to buy a new house. Leaves me scratching my head as I thought that was why we all insure our homes that we freely chose to buy. My response to them has been to ask if the Navy owes me money for BRAC'ing Brunswick and subsequently hurting my property values.

My friend Eric Cranford once told me a story about his grandfather who lived in the hills of North Carolina many years ago. Following a particulary tough winter, the Government (Federal and State I suppose) dropped supplies into the areas for the people who found themselves somewhat secluded by the storms and snow. Eric's grandfather was rather indigant to the whole affair and that spring returned a bunch of the supplies to the local county seat remarking, "I didn't ask for your damn help!" Where have all of those folks gone?

In February 1887, President Grover Cleveland, upon vetoing a bill appropriating money to aid drought-stricken farmers in Texas, said, "I find no warrant for such an appropriation in the Constitution, and I do not believe that the power and the duty of the General Government ought to be extended to the relief of individual suffering which is in no manner properly related to the public service or benefit."

President Cleveland added, "The friendliness and charity of our countrymen can always be relied upon to relieve their fellow citizens in misfortune. This has been repeatedly and quite lately demonstrated. Federal aid in such cases encourages the expectation of paternal care on the part of the Government and weakens the sturdiness of our national character, while it prevents the indulgence among our people of that kindly sentiment and conduct which strengthens the bonds of a common brotherhood." More from Dr. Williams here...

On the edit: Found this piece and thought it fit well with the overall thought. Read Pat Buchanan's thoughts on this topic here.