Discouraging dissent
A recent coalition document vowed to support whistleblowers, but there was a typo. It clearly meant to say "suppress." The way Libor Michálek is being turned into the villain for reporting corruption at the environment ministry is so blatantly misguided that only a few rare individuals, such as Václav Klaus, seem to accept the government line. As the cracks in the system grow larger and larger, the methods used for defending it become increasingly desperate. But the Czechs are in good company. Remember the way Angela Merkel condemned Thilo Sarrazin for his critical book on immigration and welfare, without ever reading it? Or how some U.S. politicians are calling for Julian Assange to be assassinated? The CR, Germany or U.S. are not violent regimes in the normal sense of the word, but the methods they use for dealing with dissent are at times less honest than those used by China, Burma or N. Korea.
Glossary of difficult words
dissent - the expression or holding of opinions at variance with those previously, commonly or officially held;whistleblower - one who reveals wrongdoing within an organization to the public or to those in positions of authority;
typo - typographical error; an error in the print;
to suppress - to forcibly put an end to; to prevent or inhibit;
villain - a person guilty or capable of a crime or wickedness;
blatant - completely lacking in subtlety; very obvious;
misguided - having or showing faulty judgment or reasoning;
line - an official or prescribed policy;
to be in good company - to be in the same situation as someone important or respected.