Week 7-The Whistleblower

 

All it needs for evil to flourish is for people of good will to do nothing.- Edmund Burke

According to Roberta Johnson, a Whistleblower is someone who individually acts with the intention of information public or with other parties (p.4). 

Here is a great scene from the 1999 film The Insider starring Al Pacino. His character Bergman works in TV journalism and has found new information on a tobacco company thanks to Whistleblower, Wagand (played by Russell Crowe).

Bergman says to Wagand, "If you've got vital insider stuff that citizens of United States, for their welfare really do need to know, and you feel impelled to disclose it and violate your agreement in doing so that's one thing."

Why we need them: 

It's a known fact that some things should not kept secret from the general public specially when it could affect them in anyway.

Corporations and the government should be held accountable for their actions.

Example: Edward Snowden who was a former CIA/NSA employee who leaked documents on the mass surveillance programs (Britain and USA). 

Political Journalist, Robert Taylor said:

"Without whistleblowers like Snowden, turning over the dark rock of empire and spreading the message of liberty would be nearly impossible given the consequences one faces when seriously threatens power and the complex of special interests behind it.
The price they pay is a steep one and may discourage others from speaking out if they know escaping to a foreign country or solitary confinement is their future" (2013).

References: 

Johnson, Roberta.A. Whistleblowing: When it works and why. UK:Lynne Reinner Publishers. (2003). Online. 

Taylor, Robert. Edward Snowden NSA Scandal: Why We Need a Whistleblower Protection Program. Policy Mic. (2013). Website. 
 http://www.policymic.com/articles/47847/edward-snowden-nsa-scandal-why-we-need-a-whistleblower-protection-program