Silent whistle-blowers - Evil needs our silence to prosper

Four stories came together in recent weeks and highlighted the disastrous consequences of silence in the face of blatant public dishonesty and immorality.

The kind of silence, cowed groupthink if you prefer, that allows tyrants, individual or institutional, to defy the expectations that decent and civilised societies hold dear.

Disgraced American cyclist and drugs cheat Lance Armstrong showed such an astounding indifference to any notion of integrity or self respect that he has ruined his reputation and the sport he championed. His lies may yet beggar him if even half the threatened court actions are ever presented to a judge. So great was his offence that the contagion has spread to the International Cycling Union and its president Pat McQuaid is under tremendous pressure over the UCI’s kid-glove policing of Armstrong’s systematic cheating and drug use.