dishonesty, fraud, incompetence and all other kinds of corrosive problems. we are better for the sun light that whistleblowers have shown on injustices and abuse frs the vietnam war to mass data collection. they enjoy a privileged status, which sometimes includes by necessity and an nehmety. the powerful don t always like being exposed. other administrations have tried to crack down on whistleblowers. nixon tried to silence the new york times and washington post for publishing the pe pentagon papers. the obama administration invoked the espionage act to go after whistle blowers, but here s the problem. the author of this op-ed didn t blow any whistles. he or she didn t expose any specific crime or corruption. didn t say i m willing to go to jail to share these secrets with the public. didn t name names.