Life Equals Contradictions

It’s human nature to make life orderly. It’s a never-ending struggle simply because life is messy. Here’s a good example, spread out over a couple of days worth of news.

First, the FAA’s best known whistleblowers are being honored.

”WASHINGTON, DC–Two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) whistleblowers have received the U.S. Office Special Counsel (OSC) Public Servant Award for 2007. U.S. Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch presented the award June 11 to FAA whistleblowers Charalambe “Bobby” Boutris and Douglas E. Peters, who are FAA aviation safety inspectors in Irving, TX. Disclosures to OSC by Mr. Boutris and Mr. Peters revealed that an FAA official knowingly allowed Southwest Airlines to operate aircraft in unsafe or unairworthy condition.“

Even as one division of the government is honoring these men, another division is punishing them.

”But since they testified on Capitol Hill, the two men said they've lost out on promotions and been excluded from important safety decisions, reports CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes .“

It gets even messier if you remember my earlier post about U.S. Special Counsel Scott Bloch. It’s enough to make you crazy. Who can you believe ?

The FAA Follies has a good answer to that question in a post entitled (appropriately enough), “Who do you listen to ?”.

In a word -- if you’re the FAA -- it is simply devastating. The FAA Follies lays it out in black and white for all to see. You should check it out.

Don Brown
June 16, 2008