GAP's American Whistleblower Tour: Essential Voices for Accountability is a dynamic campaign that seeks to educate the public − particularly our country's incoming workforce − about the phenomenon of whistleblowing. The 2011 – 12 tour was the first incarnation of what GAP plans to institute as a yearly effort focused on college students around the country.
What's Whistleblowing?
Basically, a whistleblower, under most legal definitions, is an employee who uncovers evidence of corruption or wrongdoing at his/her workplace, and makes the difficult
decision to disclose that information to the media, organizational executives, lawmakers, government authorities, or others. The perception of whistleblowing has drastically improved over the last 40 years, when the phenomenon began to be recognized.
Brave truth-telling employees from all sorts of enterprises − governments, corporations, international organizations, nonprofits − have shown the American public how essential this practice is to a functioning democracy. Just since 2000, whistleblowers from all 
walks of life have exposed:
- White House officials' wrongful tampering with climate science data
- Defective HIV-testing kits being issued to Indian hospitals (showing AIDS-tainted blood as being "ok" to distribute)
- Dog-killing pet medications
- Unsafe food production practices at a peanut butter plant, which led to multiple deaths
- Grossly unsafe practices at a nuclear facility in Washington state
- Multiple problems at the SEC, including hedge fund oversight corruption and overall incompetence in heeding whistleblowers
These are only a few of the hundreds of examples of institutional wrongdoing that employees of conscience have disclosed. However, many American citizens are still unfamiliar with the concept of whistleblowing, let alone that many support groups are available to help these workers in times of need. Lacking full information, potential whistleblowers may simply decide they cannot risk their professional livelihoods by coming forward with proof of corruption that affects public health and welfare. Furthermore, private interest-driven individuals, who label whistleblowers as "finks," "rats" or "snitches" fill this void by making potential whistleblowers feel something is actually wrong with speaking out to save lives.
That's where GAP's American Whistleblower Tour comes in.
What's the Tour about?
Our new public education campaign is centered around "stops" at universities across the country during the current academic year (2011-2012). While Tour events will vary by campus, the focal point of each stop will include a 60-90 minute moderated presentation, featuring high profile whistleblowers talking about their experiences. Other coordinated activities (varying by site) may include classroom whistleblower and journalist presentations, whistleblower-themed film festivals, and other activities.
Goals of the Tour include:
- Raise awareness about the vital role whistleblowing has in our democracy as an antidote to institutional corruption, waste, fraud, abuse, and unsafe practices.
- Prepare youth for ethical decision-making by introducing students to the real-life ethical dilemmas that whistleblowers face in the workplace.
- Counter negative connotations associated with whistleblowing with a celebratory narrative about courageous and highly principled individuals who have made an extraordinary difference in the public interest.
- Connect prospective whistleblowers to available resources so that they can make a more-informed choice before taking action. The Tour will publicize to new audiences that potential whistleblowers are not alone; that expert help is available; and that whistleblowing makes a difference.
- Encourage academic studies of whistleblowing by fostering the development and spread of rigorous, robust curriculum materials on the legal, social, economic, ethical and political issues associated with it. GAP is working with a multi-disciplinary faculty committee of professors from around the country to create curriculum modules on whistleblowing. These modules will include interdisciplinary case studies focused on the stories of whistleblowers who are participating in the Tour.
What Prompted GAP to do this:
In February 2010, GAP teamed up with film production company Participant Media and the Manhattan venue Paley Center for Media to produce the definitive television presentation on whistleblowing − Anyone Can Whistle: The Essential Role of the Whistleblower in American Society. The event, watched live by thousands online, was the first-ever television-format presentation explaining and celebrating the role of whistleblowers in our culture. Hosted by Juan Williams (then of NPR), and featuring whistleblower heroes such as Daniel Ellsberg, Frank Serpico, Coleen Rowley, and others, the program examined the six stages of the typical whistleblowing experience, celebrated the courage of whistleblowers, and decried the lack of adequate legal protections.
More importantly, the presentation educated the public on the practice of whistleblowing. Now, with the help of a grant from Participant Media, the American Whistleblower Tour hopes to expand upon the goals and the energy that animated the Paley Center event.
The Bottom Line
Whistleblowing is a difficult undertaking. But it is essential for accountability, and democracy, at all levels. Whistleblowers routinely risk their own professional lives to save the actual lives of others. At GAP, we believe that whistleblowers are necessary, need protections, and should be honored for their courage. That's what the American Whistleblower Tour is all about.
Will you join us? Admission is always free. For a current list of universities, whistleblowers, and other details about participating venues, click here.
Questions about the Tour? Are you a University official who would like your institution included? Contact the Tour staff!
Email Tour Director Dana Gold
Email Tour Coordinator Heather Hoffman
