Giving is giving. You don't do it because someone else gave to you or meets some other criteria: you do it because it is the right thing for you to do. On a pragmatic basis, we do have our cart hitched to their horse and I believe this is going to have all kinds of implications for our economic recovery. We're all in deep doo-doo together.

But, the Japanese did step up and help us during Katrina. This is just the first news report I Googled, which seemed to address the issue well enough:

"15 September 2005

Japan Proves Truly “A Friend Indeed” After Hurricane Katrina
Japanese government, companies, individuals send assistance to victims

By Jane Morse
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington — If the saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed” is true, Japan is one of the best friends the United States ever could have to provide support while so many Americans are suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Japanese private citizens and the government alike have sent a virtual tsunami of assistance to the victims of Katrina, which devastated 90,000 square miles along the U.S. Gulf Coast in August. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes and hundreds lost their lives.

Japan has pledged more than $1.5 million in private donations. The government of Japan has donated $200,000 in cash to the American Red Cross and some $800,000 in relief supplies — from blankets to generators — already are arriving to aid the most needy. Japanese firms with operations in the United States have donated some $12 million in total, including Honda Motor Corporation ($5 million), Hitachi ($1 million) and Nissan (more than $750,000).

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was overwhelmed by the generosity of one Japanese individual — Takashi Endo — who donated $1 million from his personal funds to Katrina relief efforts. Endo said he was moved when, during a business trip to London, he saw a televised report about a mother separated from her children in the chaos of the flooding in New Orleans. The story so disturbed him he could not sleep that night; the next morning he resolved to do something to help.

Yuji Takahashi, president and chief executive officer of the Japan Petroleum Exploration Company Ltd., which has operations off the coast of Louisiana, donated $100,000 to U.S. federal government hurricane relief efforts. Takahashi said that when he learned of the destruction caused by the hurricane, he felt as if his own family had been affected.

In a note accompanying the donation, Takahashi said: “I have no doubt that your people will stand in the face of difficulties and rebuild their lives in the near future.”

Private citizens have sent the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo more than $2,000, and the embassy’s Web site and telephone operators have directed hundreds of inquirers to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund Web site as well as the American Red Cross, the Japanese Red Cross Society and Peace Winds donation sites.

Mayors from cities all over Japan have donated tens of thousands of dollars. Governor Hirohiko Izumida of Niigata Prefecture, for example, provided a donation of roughly $9,000 while stressing the ties of mutual friendship and gratitude that link the people of Niigata and the United States. Niigata suffered a devastating earthquake in December 2004 and received substantial U.S. aid, including logistical and material assistance from the American military.

The Korean Residents’ Union in Japan, known as Mindan, donated more than $50,000. Mindan’s president, Jae Sook Kim, said upon presenting the check to Ambassador Thomas Schieffer that Koreans felt a deep sense of appreciation to the United States, which “has fought by Korea’s side for 60 years of freedom and democracy.”

Kim noted that the United States has accepted millions of Korean immigrants. When America hurts, Kim said, “Koreans feel the same pain.”

The Youth for Understanding Japan Foundation has pledged $45,000, and the Chiba Lotte Marines professional baseball team has started what will be an ongoing campaign to raise funds from fans to help victims of Katrina as well as the recent Typhoon No. 14 in Japan.

NHK-TV, Japan’s leading national broadcaster, has partnered with the Japanese Red Cross for a nationwide fundraising drive. NHK is running regular public service announcements instructing viewers how to donate via bank transfer or in person at any NHK or Red Cross office throughout the country. The campaign will run for one month, from September 6 to October 6. Fuji TV network is running a similar campaign.

A number of Japanese jazz greats and other leaders of the music and entertainment industries have banded together for a major “Hurricane Aid Japan” campaign running through December. Donations will be solicited at numerous concerts nationwide. Record companies and others will put banners on their Web sites and individual artists will collect donations. There is already a Japanese-language Web site up and running, with an English version to follow soon.

One of Japan’s leading nationwide retailers, the AEON group, has started to collect donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina at some 700 stores throughout Japan. The campaign will run September 3-20. During this same period, the chain also will donate 1 percent of all sales proceeds for customers using the popular members’ discount cards.

The Japanese Red Cross Society, in addition to acting as a major conduit for individual and corporate donations to Katrina relief, announced it would donate $200,000 of its own funds to support hurricane relief activities of its sister organization, the American Red Cross.

All three Japanese international air carriers (ANA, JAL, NCA) have offered free use of empty cargo capacity to transport relief supplies to the United States.

J. Thomas Schieffer, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, has been kept very busy acknowledging all of Japan’s generous donors; many have and will receive his personal thanks.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice expressed her “heartfelt thanks” September 2 for the “warm and passionate response” from the international community."

had kept their money during Katrina they would be able to spend it now on their own disaster and then *we* wouldn't have to donate to them...

cause, that's how it works right?

anyway, my two Orbit's shipped the day after I ordered, and should be here next Thursday, can't wait, I'm going to sit in bed and read by their light just for fun =P

Steven:

I am confused what you were trying to say -- esp. when your post followed Dale's -- which stated that the Japanese DID lend us a helping hand in the aftermath of Katrina. Perhaps you were merely being sarcastic?

Whether or not anyone has donated in the past, when they become victims of a natural disaster, and suddenly become homeless, they need help.

All people everywhere have the same basic needs: food, water, shelter and clothing. For me, that's what the BPL forums are all about--preparing to leave a traditional dwelling, and taking a very simple home (and my other basic needs) with me when I journey to places of my chosing. But those of us who particpate on these forums leave our comfortable homes by choice, so we have a chance to prepare. When a distaster strikes, many people are unpreparded for the sudden loss of these things.

Miguel's thread on Japan relief provides a link to Disaster Japan. I had already donated to helping Japan when he posted. But after reading about the Second Harvest Japan organization, I donated there, too. I like the fact that they already had logistics in place for helping people when the disaster struck.

There are all kinds of people in the world who need help everyday. Most of us would help the people who live next door to us if their house burned to the ground because we could see the impact such a disaster had on their lives.

The people in Japan are my neighbors. I've never met them, but they need my help. For me it's a simple as that.

Edited by DianaV on 03/25/2011 16:13:08 MDT.

I re-read Josh's post, where he stated:

"Bill gates gave a speech about being successful (and i consider him an expert at that) to a middle school and he said that before you run off and save the rainforest try cleaning your room... i liked hearing that princicple then and like hearing it now."

Josh -- I completely agree with what Bill said in that context. But have you given thought to the fact that all of us are now adults -- so we should have already mastered cleaning up our own bedroom -- and it's high time we expand our horizon and involvement to "saving the rain forest"? A bedroom never stays clean. Cleaning is a constant repeat. But if we grew up at all, then we should be able to manage that as a given -- and do a lot more besides, correct?

And if we make our donations to Japan an extra effort on our part... then we take nothing away from any American in need. It's not a zero sum game.

Edited by ben2world on 03/25/2011 11:09:48 MDT.

I hope that should I find myself and my family without a home, food, water, or any of our personal belongings I can rely on the generosity of others at a time when I need it the most.

Let's keep in mind that a lot of people lost more than shoes and a home. They've lost children, brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, mothers, and fathers. None of that will be rectified by rebuilding or stocking a pantry. The absolute least we can do is help give them clothing, shelter, food, and water. The emotional and mental rebuilding will take far longer than anything else and no amount of money in the world will ease that.

What does money matter when compared to life? Let's not be petty - or let us never ask for anything in our own lives.

Many individuals in many countries are providing private help. Individuals are determing that it is important to them to help. I like this most of all.

i hear what you're saying. however, that begs the question of how many people who are donating and contributing to japan aid give the same, or even less, or any, to the salvation army. i still think the bill gates rainforest principle applies in this situation. i have thought about it for some time. maybe we will just not see eye-to-eye.

Josh,

I understand your point. But to me, it is none of my business what my neighbor does or does not do; should he or she even be willing to donate money to a worthy cause. It is entirely optional, and each person's motivation is their own personal reason. Right now with our economic difficulties, many people have given a little extra because they think it is the right thing to do.

Human life is human life, no matter what country. Get a grip, give if you can, and shut up if you want to gripe!

yes nick, what our neighbors do is none of our business. you are right in that. all in all i'm glad black diamond is doing something good with the money instead of just sticking it into their pockets. just would've been cool if they donated headlamps to the people in New Orleans with no power or something...

Hi Josh:

I think we would just drive ourselves crazy trying to second guess what other people are doing for the less fortunate and whether they are giving the right amounts to the right people. Probably better just to focus on how best we ourselves can help. And no, we do not have to see eye-to-eye at all. There are countless different ways to help.

Update: It would appear the fund-raiser is over.


We’ve reached our goal! Thanks to your overwhelming support, Black Diamond is proud to announce that we have reached our donation goal—in a mere four days—for headlamp and lantern sales in support of the American Red Cross and its Japanese earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. We could not have accomplished this without your help. Thanks to everyone who help to make this project a huge success!

-from BD



Glad to see there was lots of support but bummed to see its over already.