Politics

The American public has gone from being addressed by a press secretary on government operational-efficacy updates to being addressed by a no-name “Trump administration official” across the board, public-relations-wise. I need other communication professionals to call out this bullshit because in this instance, I don’t believe journalists should shroud their sources to protect them — out them all.

As communication professionals, we should all be proud enough to put our names on our work. I am because I operate with integrity and do not align with fascism. One would think any well-adjusted public relations professional would also conduct themselves in this manner. Still, we see that this is not the case regarding the ethics of the current United States administration. For the current United States administration, ethics and putting your name on your professional body of work appear to be an oversight, or one could also find it a cowardly act to continue to profit from the pain of your fellow citizens.

For example, let’s take this recent ESPN article titled; “Filing says organizing of UFC White House event was unlawful”, when reading this article amongst many others following the recent departure of the former press secretary, we are witnessing what some of us as communications professionals are clocking as the next step in shrouding the activities of the current administration from the public by removing press contacts names as article sources. If the former press secretary was so hell-bent on defending this president, why the anonymity from her department now?

I’m calling bullshit. Put your name on your work, Republicans.

Here’s an example of this tactic in the above-referenced article:

“A Trump administration official took umbrage with the suit in an emailed statement to ESPN on Sunday.

This is an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory lawsuit brought simply to prevent President Trump from hosting what will undoubtedly go down as one of the most historic sporting events in our Nation’s history during our semiquincentennial celebration,” the statement read. “This iconic event is no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year.”

Messages seeking comment from the UFC, Department of Interior, National Park Service and Department of Justice were not immediately returned to ESPN.

A spokesperson for the Freedom 250 organization putting together events for the United States’ 250th anniversary told ESPN on Monday that “Freedom 250 has not been responsible for the operations, logistics or funding of the UFC White House event.” The spokesperson said it is a UFC-White House event and that no money from Freedom 250 has gone to the White House card.”

Nowhere in this article is the government source named.

PR professionals, we are aware of the saying “if you see something, say something.” We also have a duty to state if we do not see something that should be happening as PR professionals.

The referenced article’s unnamed government source not disclosing their name publicly is a blatant tactic enacted by this administration to maintain anonymity, and to avoid accountability for professionally associating with an organization of severely underperforming, unqualified, unprofessional, vile individuals, hell-bent on dismantling the operational functions of the United States government that many involved in the history of worked so hard to uphold, such as my grandfather who was a career FBI agent and Department of Justice Official. He must be rolling in his grave with disdain at this very moment regarding the collection of bumbling, unqualified, undeserving idiots now at the wheel of the DOJ, FBI, and Executive Office, amongst other offices as well.

It is truly disgraceful and shameful to see the level at which these individuals actually function daily.

So if you’re going to defend what utterly destructive nonsensical bullshit this administration is that compensates you, then you are exactly the names we want to see. Put your name on your work, Republicans of the Trump administration.

The public wants to see your name in bold print. We want to know who is still actively attempting to uphold the image of this government to make them appear like decent human beings (newsflash, your work isn’t working at all) when in fact they are not that. We want to know, for future reference, as public relations professionals, whom never to collaborate with, whom never to speak to, and whom never to work with. So again, put your name on your body of work if you’re so proud of what you are contributing to your fellow citizens of this nation. — Dylan Thomas Cotter