What We Can Do
Words defy description of that feeling in the pit of my stomach. It is that awful gut feeling that a crazy man is driving the world to the brink. I fear what this nut, who will go unnamed, will do when he is cornered like a rabid dog.
I can go into a dark place, or I can be hopeful. I can despair, or I can raise my hands and applaud freedom fighters who are standing up for democracy and the sovereignty of nations while offering us all a raw and real lesson in what leadership at its best looks like in an all-too-real worst circumstance. It’s time we all remember what is going on over on the other side of the world and do whatever we can, big or small, to aid. Write a senator, make a donation, pray.
There are companies offering their colleagues the chance to leave the country. Even in our own industry, I’m hearing stories of civilians choosing not to leave or even returning to fight.
We’ve talked to a lot of companies that are taking a wide variety of actions in response to this unprecedented situation:
- Trying to identify the whereabouts of their staff in Ukraine and helping families relocate if they can.
- Doing their best to calm staff in other regions who are wondering if they are next.
- Extricating their companies from doing business in Russia or with Russian companies, or figuring out how to do so ASAP.
- Answering questions from employees who want to identify which of their 401(k) funds contain holdings in Russian businesses, so they can reallocate their personal investments.
- Preparing for economic fallout, like $9.00 a gallon gasoline, higher food prices, and other fuel on the inflation fire. If anyone is wondering if $9.00 is an exaggeration, look no further than Los Angeles, where the going rate for premium is $6.25 a gallon, and here on the central coast of California, where we are paying $5.30.
- Preparing for other supply chain issues, recognizing that, in the grand scheme, these are trivial compared to what real people are going through in a real war.
- Making donations to corporate causes and clarifying why they have chosen this cause and done so now.
- Making contingency plans if cyberattacks take out our money supply, or worse, access to fresh water or electricity.
As for me, I’m doing these things, and I’m also putting pressure on China. I have not and am not buying anything made in China. I can’t extract the semiconductors from my toaster or refrigerator, or the rubber hoses from my car, or the possibly made-in-China silk in a made-in-Italy blouse. But I can look at a label, read “Made in China,” and choose to walk away. And that’s exactly what I’ve been doing and will continue to do. Whether it’s for my house, my family, or myself I am not buying it if it’s made in China. Period.
China’s leadership wants to walk a tightrope, and it’s time we all voted with our economic power and said “not on our watch, nor with our nickel, and certainly not right now.” It is not okay to stand by, watch a madman shoot missiles at civilians, incinerating innocent people, and talk in vague language about taking opaque stands. India and UAE, are you listening?
Just as I won’t put a travel dollar anywhere near Mexico these days, and haven’t for years, I will vote with whatever economic power I have and not buy a THING made in China. We can all do that and see what a difference it makes. China can’t be a respected global leader while leaving back doors open for sanction relief. They can’t be silent about what’s going on being WRONG. I will not let them wave a finger at countries, including the US, and say we are messing with others’ sovereignty, tsk tsk, while staying silent as Ukraine gets obliterated. So, I am voting with my dollar. Imagine if we all did that. Boycott anything made in China.
And to our industry, which is doing so much by getting the truth out: Thank you. You are working tirelessly to keep us informed. From reporters and journalists on the front lines, to the company data providers and know-your-customer and supplier providers, to the rogue kid who is now tracking oligarch-owned private planes instead of Elon Musk. Thank you. Information is power. Now, more than ever, information about who, how, and when is critical, and it is our industry providing that knowledge. I am proud to be in it.