General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsEdward Snowden and the life of a whistleblower
There is a certain personality that is usual in the people who whistleblow. We are people who demand fairness, perhaps, even often, not for ourselves but for others. I don't know what that says psychologically that we are willing to put up with awfulness until we see it's impact on others and then we whistleblow. And those of us with that personality trait generally know or wind up through painful experience that we will be the one's hurt.
Yeah, Whistleblowers are protected, always, everywhere. We have a policy at work that says we will be protected if we whistleblow. That and $3.50 will buy me a starbucks coffee whilst I look for another job. You see, I've been on this path my whole life. Even as a child, I demanded that fairness reign. Rain happened but not the way I expected.
But now, I'm older. I have a disabled young adult son I'm caring for. I need my job. It has kept me quiet and meek now for almost 7 years. But seeing how other people are being systematically emotionally tormented and abused and in one case, physically abused, has led me to understand that I need to do it again.
This time, though, I will do it smart. I will bring a lawyer. Probably not the union lawyer, though he is welcome if he's not hostile. And I will be checking with the union to see if I'm missing anything. But the time grows nigh, because people are talking and I have five (six if we count the one who was physically abused and left) people who've come to me to say they want to be in on it. Great, I'm a ringleader of a bunch of first time whistleblowers. But even one lawyer there should keep the hounds at bay. But, of course, I will have a long and expensive discussion with a lawyer who protects whistleblowers prior.
I have no interest in moving to Russia or even leaving my job. The abuse must stop and the chronic unsafe staffing must stop. It's not going to stop on it's own.
This is my fourth time down this road and yeah, I know my character will be assassinated for not holding the code. What happens here stays here.
I wonder what sort of person and what sort of life I might have had if I didn't share Edward Snowden's determination that people stop being lied to and hurt. And Bradley Manning. For all the big names, there are those, like me, who never make the news but maybe helped make a few things right, at great personal cost.
I hope to play the game on a different playing field this time. I hope it works. If not, I may be blackballed. That would suck, but I would find some way to support my man child.
Just venting. This afternoon after 4 hours sleep, I pick my son up from the bus and then I will start calling the union and lawyers. Time to just do it.
marions ghost
(19,841 posts)Catherina
(35,568 posts)For what it's worth, you have my admiration for your courage.
tavalon
(27,985 posts)I'm nervous this time because I don't want my son to be hurt by my actions. Hence the reason I'm being so careful. But things just can't continue the way they are. Toxic work environments are what coined the term "going postal" and while I am not one who would "go postal", someone else might. My way of forcing change is to speak my truth to power and refuse to back down. This time, I'm going to do the usual but with back up. I'm not especially fond of lawyering up, but I'm less fond of getting a pink slip for speaking a truth that the PTB doesn't want to hear.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)I understand your concern. I hope he's old enough to talk to about this so you can get his support. I feel for you Tavalon and wouldn't back down either Definitely lawyer up. I worked in HR for a stint, they hate lawyers and lawyers are almost always the difference between getting sacked with no pay/benefits and getting a decent severance package so you can take care of your family and keep fighting. In the meantime, I recommend you honing up on skills that will feed your family without being beholden to a corporate machine.
tavalon
(27,985 posts)He doesn't even understand the concept of money.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)I hope you keep DU informed in case anyone can help you with contacts or ideas. It sucks that people are so alone when they go against the grain. Tavalon, good luck, you have my support and best wishes. I hope everything turns out well for you and that you have a back-up plan if it doesn't. Solidarity
baldguy
(36,649 posts)He chose to run away & upload multiple terabytes of American intelligence to those bastions of freedom & liberty China and Russia instead.
Always remember: When you hear Snowden saying he's fighting for the Constitution, it's for Rand Paul's version of the Constitution - not anything you'd recognize.
fascisthunter
(29,381 posts)is irrelevant.
baldguy
(36,649 posts)Snowden could have gone to his appropriate managers at at Booz-Allen; he could have gone to the built-in channels at the NSA; he could have contacted someone in the Administration or the Dept of Justice; he could have contacted a Congress member or Senator. And he could have gotten immunity and legal protections from any of these sources, could have "started the discussion", and could have gone a long way to get the oversight and corrections he says he was looking for.
He chose to go to Glenn Greenwald instead.