The Negative Criticism Of Whistleblower

Whistleblowers have made headlines in media for much of modern American history. The viewpoints regarding whistleblowers are conflicted: some view them as heroes who rightfully expose government truths while others see them as criminals that should be punished with the fullest extend of the law. In fact, according to the “Whistleblowers” article in the Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, “many whistleblowers are considered renegades or even traitors, and they may suffer both legally and in terms of their reputations.” In reality, however, whistleblowing informs the public that not everything is how it seems and calls for recognition of these problems. Despite many negative criticism toward these whistleblowers, in the course of history, they
have aided in revealing and solving hidden problems within society and government that would otherwise go unnoticed and therefore, should be protected with greater immunity.

To support whistleblowers, one first must look at the many revolutionary changes in industry whistleblowing has brought.
Some whistleblowers expose the truths through their writings. “Such writers are often called muckrakers since they figuratively dive into the mud and reveal the dirty side of established business practices.” (“Whistleblowers”). In one of the leading examples of muckrakers, Upton Sinclair and his novel, The Jungle, ”exposed some of the filthy conditions and practices of the meatpacking industry” and thus fought for the right of the common worker and the safety of the public. During the era in which these conditions took place, workers were not given voice and their concerns were listened to cursorily by their employers. Sinclair, on the other hand, helped bring these concerns into light. Following the publication of his novel, Americans became both aware and repulsed with the conditions of factories and a drastic change was implemented. Without Sinclair, this gruesome condition of the factories and worker safety would persist, putting many lives in danger. Because whistleblowing such as in the case of Sinclair can ultimately positively affect the public’s safety, whistleblowers should be more
protected.

In addition to looking at the positive results of whistleblowing on industry and society, it is just as important to notice that whistleblowers have been instrumental in revealing government secrets, and consequently, in informing the public of the many horrific actions committed by the government. One of the most shocking example of whistleblowing was the Watergate Scandal, in which a whistleblower by the alias of Deep Throat revealed that the thieves who tried to install a bug into the national headquarters of the Democratic National Committee were directly tied with the then-president Nixon.