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GUEST COLUMN
(2/7/2007)
Sanford Donation Reflects a Christian Principle
BY MARY KAY TRUCKENMILLER The donation of $400 million to the now Sanford Health Systems in Sioux Falls is historic; no one to date has donated that much money to a private health care system in our state. The unsurpassed generosity of Mr. T. Denny Sanford knows no bounds and is certainly greatly appreciated by the present and future recipients of the good fortune of this man. The possibilities for future health care research, practice and infrastructure are mind-boggling in contributing to the welfare of our state and indeed, interstate region. That Mr. Sanford chose to give away a good part of his fortune is a Christian principle. Jesus told the rich man that to gain heaven he must give up all he had and follow Him. Likewise, as Mr. Sanford has done, a look back into a hundred-plus year history reveals that St. Katherine Drexel of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament came from a similar wealthy family background. Her father was an extremely wealthy railroad entrepreneur, and she inherited that wealth upon the death of her parents. She was taught to use her fortune for the benefit of others, which she evidently did, as she founded black Catholic schools in 13 states, 40 mission centers, 23 rural schools, 50 Indian missions, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, the first United States university for blacks. St. Katherine Drexel, as Mr. Sanford, chose to give away their wealth for the benefit of others. They were and are probably able to live comfortably without it. Contrast that with our lawmakers of today who, intending to benefit and give opportunity to the truly less fortunate, wish to raise similar amounts of money from every tax-paying citizen of the U.S., whether or not they have better uses for their money elsewhere, such as health care costs or caring for an elderly relative. One wonders, given the infrastructure and bureaucracy involved in administering federal programs, how much of the taxpayer’s money actually goes to those who need it. Certainly those who give of their own wealth oversee more closely where that money goes and what the mission is for it. There are probably fewer workers in between to administer a huge infrastructure, meaning more of the money goes to the people it is intended to help. The American people need to have faith--faith in those who are allowed to, because of their responsible and correct choices, gain wealth in order to directly benefit others. To paint with a broad brush corporate executives and sports figures as making grossly unfair wages is nothing short of the sin of coveting. It punishes the very people who most would be able to benefit society with their wealth; to create disincentives via punitive tax laws in fact hurts our society more than helps in the long run. What does it say about a class of people when the politicians put them down for achieving? What are we as a society to promote? The world needs more T. Denny Sanfords and St. Katherine Drexels. Achievement should be rewarded and taxes should be reduced to create more opportunities to give to those in need.
Mary Truckenmiller is a former registered nurse and now a homemaker, married with five grown sons. She lives in eastern South Dakota.
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