There are plenty of reasons to love America. It is the land of the free and the home of the brave; we invented baseball and jazz, skyscrapers and “Lost”; and our country has been home to some of the world’s most famous and influential people – politicians and generals, musicians and movie stars, artists and activists.

One of the greatest (albeit, most uncelebrated) reasons to love the United States, though, is for the generosity of its people. Although it seems like a strange reason to celebrate our American identity, it is a true – and heartwarming – fact that Americans, rich and poor, give more money to charities and organizations than nearly any other citizens worldwide. In 2006 alone, we donated nearly $300 billion to charitable causes, ranging from religious institutions to educational ones. According to the same report, 65 percent of households with incomes less than $100,000 still gave to charities. In addition, millions more give countless hours of their time to help the least of their fellow neighbors.

As New York University professor Claire Gaudiani said, “It tells you something about American culture that is unlike any other country.” That unique quality is a fierce compassion, a sincere caring for the homeless woman on your corner or the man who lost everything in a Kansan tornado thousands of miles away.

But when the going gets tough, do Americans get cheap? A recent survey published by Giving USA showed that charitable gifts dropped by 5.7 percent between 2007 and 2008. Although the total grossed $300 billion for the second year in a row, that number fell almost $7 billion. What the report seems to show is that during a tough economic time like the one we currently find ourselves in, Americans become less generous than usual. In other words, we try to cut costs to protect ourselves.

Obviously the urge for self-preservation is instinctive; who can blame someone for looking after his or her own family first? What separates man from the animals, however, is his ability to transcend the material concerns of the world, and in this case, to sacrifice his selfish desires and reach out in compassion to neighbors and strangers alike.

What’s more, in a tough recession like the one we have just experienced, giving becomes that much more important. Think about how the economy has affected you and your family – all the costs you have cut, the meals out you have skipped, the new clothes you have left on the rack – and now double or triple those cutbacks. The truth is, most of us here at Georgetown are fairly well-off. If we can feel the pinch in our pockets, even ever so slightly, imagine how the poorest of our fellow citizens must feel. Imagine the anxieties and nightmares that must keep them up at night.

If ever there were a time to be generous and compassionate, it is now. Many Americans have lost their homes in the foreclosure crisis, and more are still falling behind in payments and spiraling into debt.

It is now – even more than during the times of plenty – that our neighbors need a helping hand in whatever form we can give it to them. I won’t pretend to understand economics, but I do know a little about the human spirit; in a moment of crisis like ours is when that charitable spirit must be the strongest.

So as you leave Georgetown this summer, be sure to give back just as much – if not more – than what you receive. At a prestigious university like Georgetown, we are among the luckiest men and women in the world. Given this opportunity, go and share it. Volunteer with a local charity, leave a couple of extra bucks for your hardworking waitress, give that homeless man on the corner some money, a gift card or at least the dignity of a smile and some conversation. Share what you can, however big or small, because sharing is truly caring, and our capacity to care is what makes us human.

Conor Finnegan is a sophomore in the College. He can be reached at finneganthehoya.com. This is the semester’s final installment of On The Road.

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