When we soft-launched the Crisis Charitable Commitment on Bastille Day, July 14, we intentionally started a countdown clock for the election (we had one on our web site)–at the time sixteen weeks out. The election still seemed like a long way off, especially given the amount of work that had to be done between then and now. I’m pretty sure it’s been a stressful–yet engaged–four months for each of you, yet here we are at the day of reckoning.
Unfortunately only one of the many crises we face could conceivably be behind us (as in writing-on-the-wall decided) when you wake up tomorrow—the election. The pandemic highlighted or fueled racial injustice, economic hardship, climate disruption, loss of trust among our international allies, and importantly, threats to our democracy, all of which remain as challenges. The whole nonprofit sector is in distress, having already cut 10% of its jobs and facing the possibility that up to 40% of nonprofit organizations will have to close their doors by the end of next year.
The donor class–foundations and ultra high net worth individuals–has its work cut out for it. Fortunately, 55 philanthropic leaders have already stepped up to the plate, demonstrating that digging deep in a time of crisis is not only the responsible thing to do, but a reasonable thing as well. The CCC has had a good beginning, be we have a lot more to do. Once the election dust settles–which we hope will be soon (if things go south, take a look at our Election Integrity Fund)–we will redouble our efforts to push the Crisis Charitable Commitment past the 100-signers mark by year-end.
I voted, as I assume you all have, but only after being briefly disenfranchised. My mailing address had changed since the last election, so the undeliverable ballot triggered taking me off the rolls. Once I realized I hadn’t gotten a ballot, I went online and corrected the problem, and was promptly sent another ballot. The process worked! And with the ballot I got an “I Voted!” sticker, meant to help encourage others to vote as well. Similarly, the CCC effort relies on the example of signatories to influence their peers to meet the Charitable Standard.
As the election results near I remember reading back in August that the President had started warning Americans that if he didn’t win the election, China will own the United States, and we are going to have to learn to speak Chinese. Chuckles aside, it brought back memories of my efforts in the ‘80s (pre- and until Tiananmen Square) with business partner Hal Dawson to build a recycled paper mill in China. On one of my first trips to China to negotiate our deal I was given a learn-Chinese book for my long flight. I recall on the first page of the book it said that the Chinese language had a lot to do with tones, and that the same word meant “buy” or “sell” depending on the tone. Since, like Kristine in A Chorus Line, I can’t even sing, saying anything in Chinese was clearly too risky a proposition. Yesterday I looked for the one appropriate Chinese expression I might say to the President tonight, given the chance, in response to his warning. It probably also has multiple meanings, but I’ll go with Yóuxì jiéshù (YO She) and this translation– “game over,” as in, if all tries are lost, the game is over.