When Democrats regain power, we need to tackle corporate encroachment on free speech

Last edited Sun May 10, 2020, 10:38 AM - Edit history (1)

It is a sinus thing at a time like this, and the health of the world depends on knowledge, the nurse after nurse, doctor after doctor, government employee after government employee, cruise ship crew members, and so many others have to hide themselves to tell the truth about their experiences, or else they remain silent.

The idea that anyone who is interviewed by a journalist shouldn’t have to hide their face out of fear that they will lose their job for telling the truth is sickening.

A cruise ship member on princess cruise was being interviewed on an NHK documentary but had to hide his face. Why? Surely because he is afraid of retaliation.

Nurses and doctors are constantly being ordered not to talk about the PPE shortages at their hospitals. Why? Because public perception matters more than the truth to these companies.

I find it to be just unAmerican. Especially when public health and safety is at risk.

On the other hand, companies fire employees for expressing racist views or participating in those types of organizations. Because I believe in a pluralistic society, I support those firings. There are roles of leadership that require treating all human beings with respect. How can you fix the first without opening the door wide on the second?

Whistleblower protections theoretically help but there’s another level that needs to be tackled. As PROFESSIONALS, especially, doctors and nurses ought to feel a very strong professional obligation and a professional entitlement to protect their right to speak the truth about conditions. The bean counters and owners of Big Health have too much power. Maybe antitrust is another piece of this. When every hospital or every nursing home is owned by the same handful of companies, it increases the risks of speaking out.

But watching this in every corner is nauseating, like seeing humans cower down under the boot of dystopian corporate power run amok.

Thoughts?