Faust's Bargain: Charity and Government

The latest edition of Columbia includes an article by Alton J. Pelowski entitled "In Defense of Life, Love and Freedom" describing the problems when a private charity becomes dependent on public funding.  Similarly, Catholic Charities in Illinois are closing their adoption services because of new requirements to change their screening criteria to accept gay couples in order to receive government funding.

Although I empathize with their distress, American Catholics who have traditionally supported government-sponsored social programs have only themselves to blame.  Non-profit organizations who have been happy to trade arduous fund-raising for siphoning tax revenues are likewise guilty.

"Free money" is always hard to resist, but there's always a catch.  Once you've accepted the money you lose the freedom to run your organization as you like (which is why some organizations like Hillsdale College eschew public funding).

Indeed, the Catholic charities are faced with a dilemma of their own making.  If they refuse to  compromise their principles for money, they must either close their doors or return to the days when they relied on their own voluntary fund-raising efforts.  The latter option is obviously more difficult; a consequence of diverting funds from private donations to publicly mandated tax revenue.

Instead it looks like they're taking the easy option: quitting.

An American's Creed

An American's Creed - by Dean Alfange

I do not choose to be a common man
It is my right to be uncommon...
If I can. I seek opportunity... Not security.

I do not wish to be a kept citizen,
Humbled and dulled by having the state
look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk;
to dream and build, to
Fail and succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.
I prefer the challenges of life to the
Guaranteed existence; the thrill of
Fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence
Nor my dignity for a hand out. I will
Never cower before any master nor bend
to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect,
proud, and unafraid; to think and act for
myself; enjoy the benefits of my
creations; and to face the world boldly
and say, "This I have done with my own hand,
I am a man. I am an American.