WikiLeaks proves need for stronger whistleblower protections

[kster]

CITIZEN-TIMES.com

LOUIS CLARK • DECEMBER 31, 2010

Hysteria and anger over WikiLeaks have led to calls in Congress to widen the scope of espionage law violations. Essentially, this serves as a warning shot to future whistleblowers.

But the experiences of other truth-tellers show why this is a mistake.
Information is power. Therefore, power automatically gravitates to those who control the flow of information. In America today, the prevalent anti-Washington sentiment is healthy if it represents a populist revolt against centralized and corrupt authority, which benefits from secrecy.

But that's not what critics are saying. To respond to WikiLeaks' document dumps by making it even easier for large, bureaucratic, and unaccountable institutions to escape scrutiny pleases the numerous officials fanning the flames of outrage – for reasons well beyond the possible identification of sources.

Namely, government officials don't want their huge mistakes and unethical actions to come to public view. When CIA whistleblower Frank Snepp revealed that the CIA and Pentagon had negligently allowed the files of tens of thousands of Vietnamese collaborators to fall into the hands of the victorious North Vietnamese Army, the only known action taken was to sue Snepp – an obvious warning shot to other potential leakers of presumed "state secrets."

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20101231/OPINION07/101228062/WikiLeaks-proves-need-for-stronger-whistleblower-protections

[kster]

1. kick for the late night party crowd to see

[Kaleko]

2. K & R

[xchrom]

3. Recommend

[kgnu_fan]

4. recommend

[seabeyond]

5. this isn't whistle blowing. it is fishing. an employee, taking how many ever interactions

and looking for criminal behavior.

nothing whistle blowing here. fishing expedition.

it is theft.