It's not a matter of money

By Mike Leidemann
Advertiser Columnist

"A portion of the proceeds will be donated ..." Those words have become something of a national mantra.

You see them in store windows, press releases, television ads. You see them on the back of little American flags sold for a dollar or two. You see them in multimillion-dollar public relations campaigns. You see them just about everywhere as corporate America tries to walk a fine line between caring and capitalism in this new world.

Sept. 11 brought out the best in America. We gave and gave until it hurt, and we're going to keep on giving until the hurting stops. That's who we are; it's never been clearer to ourselves and to the rest of the world.

Now, though, we have to get down to real business, and it's not nearly as simple as giving blood or $100 to the Red Cross. We have to start making money again if we're going to avoid letting the attacks crush our economy in the way that they couldn't crush our spirit, and we have to do it in a way that honors the dead without profiting off them.

So corporate America is starting to walk, with baby steps, down the road to recovery. The path isn't without missteps.

• A local company gives away little American flags, but can't resist having its public relations company brag about it.

• A national fast-food chain buys a series of somber "condolence" ads on TV, then flashes its logo in a size just a shade too big for good taste.

• Airlines, propped up by billions in federal support, say planes are half-full, but have come up with few half-price offers to get people flying.

None of this is really wrong; making money is every bit as American as donating it. In fact, corporations and businesses were among the leaders in donating millions of dollars to the relief efforts. No one is suggesting they haven't been good citizens.

Still, the rush back to capitalistic ways doesn't feel quite right either. Sure, we're worried about the economy — but let's not forget the real victims either.

So this is what we get: "A portion of the proceeds will be donated to..."

Fair enough. But it's also fair for America to ask its business leaders a few questions. What portion? What proceeds? Do you mean 10 cents from every sale, or 10 percent? Is it a portion of your profit or a portion of your costs? Why not just donate the money without even mentioning it?

As we try to find something like normalcy in our lives again, we're going to have to come to terms with our capitalism and the suspect way it's seen around much of the world. We might even have to change some of our money-making ways.

Taking a closer look at "a portion of the proceeds will be donated..." might be as good a place to start as any.

Mike Leidemann's columns appear Thursdays and Saturdays in The Advertiser. Reach him at mleidemann@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-5460.