there were plenty of non-WASPs (i.e. Catholics, Jews, atheists, and so on) that showed and lived the type of decent and honorable life that Zakaria described, without being protestants at all
Altruism is not solely in the realm of the ‘uber rich
He isn’t saying others weren’t virtuous or Wasps were inherently better.
He is talking specifically about people “accidentally privileged from birth”, who had priority access to wealth and power, who were aware of their luck and accepted responsibilities as a price for their privileges.
It’s an illustration using one group, not a claim that Wasps have an exclusive claim to the behavior.
As for the piece, Bush Sr. had just died, Zakaria has a job writing editorials. It was a eulogy, an uplifting little essay based on the life of the deceased.