At a news conference in 1986, then-President Ronald Reagan quipped, “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Sadly, that is more true today than ever before. Not only does the government usually make worse whatever problem it is trying to solve — for example, many lament that “we declared war on poverty and poverty won” — government action tends to crowd out private initiative.
As Reagan cogently noted, “As government expands, liberty contracts.” When liberty contracts, people lose the sense that they are in control of their own lives. They lose the feeling that they need to take the initiative to care for and protect themselves. They come to believe that those basic duties are someone else’s responsibility.
Thankfully, the inexorable march of government has not completely crushed the American spirit of liberty and self-reliance. This spirit shows itself in any number of ways. I tell people all the time that early in life, I realized the person most responsible for my outcome in life is me. I did not let the issues I faced in life define who I am or surrender to the despair of believing that I had no say over how things turned out.
I, and millions more like me, focus inward on self-improvement and reject the idea that my failures are someone else’s fault. This is what makes America great.
It’s not just personal stories of self-reliance that show the American can-do attitude. There are dozens of faith-based groups across the country trying to help every type of vulnerable segment of our society. They help house the homeless, care for the mentally ill, and repair frayed ties in our communities. And all without government help. In fact, more often than not, the government gets in the way by imposing regulations and red tape that stop these groups from helping those in need in the most efficient and effective way possible.
It may be in the face of adversity where the American spirit shines brightest. The recent commemoration of the 9/11 attacks reminded me that in the immediate aftermath of the attacks, ordinary people flocked down to the World Trade Center (while it was still smoldering!) to see what they could do to help. New York City officials realized early on that there would be no stopping this volunteer army, so they wisely set about organizing them and finding jobs for them to do. Skilled tradesmen such as steelworkers labored day and night to try to free anyone who might have still been alive under the mass of metal and concrete. Everyday people took it upon themselves to respond to the tragedy. This is who we are as Americans.
The American drive to act in the face of adversity, and not wait for someone in government to tell them what to do, is not limited to disasters on dry land. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, tens of thousands of people were trapped in their homes by floodwaters. A state senator put out a plea for help: “Anybody wants to go help the people of New Orleans, please come to the Acadiana Mall.” The people of Louisiana sprang to action. Expecting maybe two dozen boats, hundreds arrived. They formed an ad hoc flotilla dubbed the “Cajun Navy” that fanned out across the flooded area, even defying local authorities who wanted to stop them for safety reasons, and rescued upwards of 10,000 people who were otherwise trapped in their homes. And in the years since, whenever floodwaters rise in the Southeast, the Cajun Navy deploys to help those in need. Everyday people used the tools at hand to come to the rescue of those in need. This is who we are as Americans.
And Americans even take it upon themselves to help solve problems the government creates. For example, in the chaos of our disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, a number of American citizens, green card holders, and allies were at risk of being stranded. Everyday people took it upon themselves to solve the problem. One of many makeshift groups that organized to help get people out was dubbed the Pineapple Express. This group of veterans of the Afghan War, as well as former diplomats and intelligence officers who served in the country, mobilized to help those who had helped them.
Modeling themselves after the Underground Railroad (another fantastic example of Americans working for good in the face of government failure), many members of the Pineapple Express deployed to the streets of Kabul, navigating Taliban checkpoints and crawling through sewers to help get their friends and allies to the Kabul airport and eventually to safety. Everyday people risked life and limb to ensure that no one was left behind. This is who we are as Americans.
I always have faith in Americans to do the right thing. Our friends and neighbors are people of goodwill and profound charitable spirit. At our best, we take it upon ourselves to solve our own problems and the problems of our loved ones and our communities. We do not wait for others to act, and we definitely do not need the government to tell us what to do. I pray that the inexorable expansion of government slows down before that great part of the American ethos is smothered by an all-encompassing bureaucracy.
Ben Carson, secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 2017 to 2021, is the founder of the American Cornerstone Institute.
