Readers,
For anyone who has been following the events in Japan over the past week, it has been a very painful time. But, there are people there who are really suffering and need as much help as we can provide. I happen to be a member of the Japan America Business Association (JABA) at UCLA Anderson. As such, I know many students who are from Japan and are likely going to return there after graduation. Sadly, I find myself not knowing what to say to people or how to console them. How can you really convey how sorry you are after watching the images of the tsunami wiping out everything in its path? The before and after pictures of the Sendai area are breathtaking in their brutality. Personally, I feel helpless to extent that it causes a sort of paralysis. So, I have been trying to find a way to help that has the greatest potential impact. Therefore, I am hoping to use my position as a very minor celebrity in the value investing world to raise money for those affected and increase awareness of the ongoing situation in Japan.
So, this is what I am asking from you:
- Please help the MBA programs at UCLA Anderson, Pepperdine, and USC support the disaster relief effort by making a donation at http://socalmbahelpjapan.wordpress.com/. All of the proceeds will be donated to the the US Red Cross. The acute crisis may be nearing an end (at least we all hope), but the devastation is ongoing and, as citizens of the world, we can't just forget about the people of Japan once the news cycle shifts to another topic.
- Keep informed about what is going on in Japan. Read newspapers, watch the news, keep up with your favorite blogs, follow Twitter. Do something to prevent yourself from moving on with your life just because the disaster didn't happen in your backyard. Because, especially if you live in California, one day it might happen here. The point is that the people of Japan deserve our empathy and for us to realize that we have an obligation to understand their plight.
- Finally, reach out to anyone you know who has roots in Japan. I am living vicariously through someone who is very close to me and is currently in Japan. I have to say it is so difficult that I can't imagine how hard it would be if my family, friends, and the place where I grew up were going through so much turmoil. Believe me, they need your support.
Let us all hope that the earthquake and volcanic activity subsides and that the situation with the nuclear facilities becomes more manageable soon. The Japanese people need some indication of hope so that they can move forward. In the meantime, please help any way you can.
Sincerely,
Ben C.
The Inoculated Investor
