When we left Ireland at the end of April, Charities were under scrutiny for concealing the truth about their money and when we came back this week we find the Garda have been in the dock over allegations of malpractice and incompetence. The news in America is very staid by comparison!
With the history of hatred hanging out of the “Informer” the modern version, the “Whistleblower”, has a psychological mountain to climb before he gives his first toot on his whistle! It must require great tenacity for truth to report misconduct which, in the case of the Garda if found guilty, could lead to criminal prosecution and discharge from the force. There is also loyalty to colleagues to be considered. You may be in circumstances where your life literally is in their hands so mutual trust must rank highly in your relationships.
Whistleblowers are to be commended especially when they know that they are unlikely to be believed and their careers will probably suffer as a result of their accusations.
This was the fate of the former executive of the Japanese Olympus Corporation who was speaking in Dublin this week at the European Insurance Forum. He had raised questions of the propriety of a $1.7billion deal which had nothing to do with the Corporations business. What disturbed him most was not so much his dismissal but the withdrawl of support by his colleagues in the aftermath of his sacking.
To the Bible reader it all sounds familiar. Even Jesus’s most loyal disciple was no better than the rest. ”Then all the disciples deserted him and fled” St Matthew Chapter 26 verse 56. To make a stand for truth always has implications both for the one standing for it and those who, if they are not for it, are against it. There is no middle ground. Truth knows of no compromise.
Pilot preferred compromise! He claimed to be ignorant of truth when the truth incarnate in the form of Jesus Christ was standing in front of him St John Chapter 18 verse 38.
To live for Jesus is to tell the truth. But this will not happen unless we are first embraced by the Truth. Turn to Him, the Way, the Truth and the Life
St John Chapter 14 verse 6.