Whistle Blowing: Both Sides

Whistle blowing is the concept of reporting incidents of wrongdoing, illegality, discrimination, immorality, and other adverse actions to a higher authority, which may or may not result in punishment or consequences for the offending party, but an important concept of whistle blowing is publicity or making the issue public ("Ethical Dissent," n.d.). Whistle blowing is a controversial practice, and those who do blow the whistle from time to time experience negative consequences on a personal or political level. Some have even pursued justice through the court systems because of this issue ("Blowing the Whistle," 2009).

Those who defend and condemn whistle blowing each have solid cases. Those in favor of the practice suggest that blowing the whistle is a way to keep companies and organizations honest, especially when it comes to enforcing safety regulations and civil liberties requirements. Without whistle blowing, those who justify the practice contend, the violations -- whether they endanger the general public or the moral character of the organization -- would continue unabated.

On the other hand, those who condemn whistle blowing suggest that there are other ways of correcting ethical abuses or wrongdoings. A suggestion within the company, or a well-spoken word can often end the problem before going public with it is necessary ("Ethical Dissent," n.d.). The thought behind this is that whistle blowing, or drawing public attention to an issue, actually makes a problem worse, when privately addressing could make it better. In addition, those who condemn the practice may also mention the negative professional consequences, such as firing, that often occur along with whistle blowing, in addition to personal retaliation.

Thus, the issue of whistle blowing is something that all must face in the professional world, whether they are in the public or private sector. In the end, whistle blowing is a personal decision on the part of an employee, and it can be admirable when done to right something that is inherently wrong.

References

"Blowing the Whistle." (2009, May). Retrieved July 14, 2009, from http://whistleblowing.org/

"Ethical Dissent." (n.d.). Retrieved July 14, 2009, from http://www.computingcases.org/case_materials/hughes/support_docs/whistleblowing/ethical_dissent.html