T2 – The Ethics of Speaking Out
By: Jaishri Banerji, Sarah Clohessy and Imogen Morehead
Winston Churchill was once quoted as saying, “You have enemies? Good. That
means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life”. As a controversial
historical figure whose political decisions sparked controversy Churchill knows a
thing or two about speaking out and taking a stand on issues that divided the public.
In recent times, the ethics of speaking out has been widely discussed. In particular,
whether actors, musicians and athletes are ethically justified in using their celebrity
to take a stand and speak out. The Wyatt and Bunton (2010) essay titled, ‘The Ethics
of Speaking Out’ discusses this issue in detail.
In most cultures, speaking out is legal and generally considered ethical. However, as
we know from the lecture, just because something is legal does not automatically
mean it is ethical. The right for freedom of speech and expression is prized in
Western society as they “put issues on the table for national debate” however in
some cases, the motivation of the speaker can cause the situation to become
unethically justifiable (Bunton &Wyatt, 2010). Ethical decisions should be rational,
fair, just, externally and internally consistent (Black & Roberts, 2011).
The essay uses examples of musicians Natalie Maines, Kanye West and actress
Sally Field who have in the past, publicly expressed political and social opinions in
an unsuitable setting. The authors provide a Speaking-Out Test that determines the
ethical justifiability of speaking out.
The test, if utilised correctly is a valuable tool. It asks four questions:
1. What is the relationship of the celebrity to the issue he or she is speaking out
about?
2. What is the motivation for speaking out?
3. What is the nature of any harm created?
4. Does speaking out promote dialogue?
Our group agrees with the authors to an extent in that, there should be a recognised
way of determining whether someone’s choice to speak out is ethically justifiable.
However, we ask whether the four questions provided by the authors are thorough
enough? We don’t think they cover every angle of celebrities speaking out. Also,
Wyatt and Bunton (2010) do not use any case studies of politicians or athletes that
might have worked better in showcasing the tests effectiveness. Also, in the three
main cases presented by the authors, the celebrity is speaking out about George
Bush and the U.S government. To properly examine the effectiveness of the test, a
situation where a celebrity is speaking out about someone who is of equal power and
status should have been included.
Our group disagrees with the authors that it is not ethically justifiable to use an
inappropriate platform such as a musical concert or a charity telethon to speak out. If
a celebrity chooses to speak out on an issue, it should be in an appropriate
environment at an appropriate time. Kanye West comments in particular,
overshadowed the charity event and destroyed the feeling of Americans banding
together to face the devastation left by Hurricane Katrina. Instead of making the
decision to speak out based on gut reaction, celebrities should follow ethical
development and consider the other elements in the decision making model not just
emotion.
For example, Madonna recently took the opportunity to speak out on the jailing of
Russian feminist punk group Pussy Riot. In her Moscow concert, Madonna
showcased support by printing the band’s name on her back and donning Pussy
Riots trademark black balaclava. Madonna used the concert to speak out and say,
"I know there are many sides to every story, and I have, and I mean no disrespect to
the church or the government but I think that these three girls Masha, Katya, Nadya.
Yes. I think that they have done something courageous. I think they have paid the
price for this act and I pray for their freedom.”
To analyse whether Madonna choosing to speak out, in concert about a political
issue is ethically justifiable, we can use the Speaking-Out Test. Firstly, we ask what
her relationship to the issue is. Madonna is not Russian nor does she have a close
relationship with Pussy Riot. Since the arrest of the group Madonna has been an
avid supporter however, as an American citizen perhaps is not properly informed of
the nature of Russian law and the politics surrounding Pussy Riot.
As for Madonna’s motivation for speaking out, on the surface it appears to be good.
Madonna is known for her charity work and being a celebrity supporter of many
issues such as gay and human rights. However, the public will never know positively
as only Madonna knows her true intentions. At the time, Madonna was touring the
globe and since the story gained worldwide attention perhaps, whether intentionally
or not, it generated publicity for her tour. Furthermore, she had already signed a
letter penned by many other celebrities that pledged their support to the group. What
motivation did she have to speak out about it further in concert?
Now we ask, what was the nature of any harm caused? By using her celebrity
Madonna draws global attention, whether that causes any further harm to the jailed
group is for the Russian officials to decide. As an American citizen, Madonna is not
breaking the law however some may consider it unethical for Madonna, as a visitor
to Russia, to speak out against the countries government.
Madonnas speaking out drew international attention and created debate in the public
sphere and put further pressure on the Russian government to globally address their
decision to jail the group. Her decision to speak out did create debate and spurred
discussion.
In this analysis of a real world situation where a celebrity spoke out, Madonna cannot
be ethically justified in speaking out. She is not a Russian citizen, nor is she close to
Pussy Riot and her motivations are questionable. She chose the wrong platform to
express her opinions. In this situation, Madonna most likely relied totally on emotion
in her decision making process.
Overall, the Speaking-Out Test has good foundations however, it needs to be
expanded and tested to determine whether it works for other public figures such as
politicians and athletes. However, as has been demonstrated it works well for a
celebrity case such as Madonna. The Speaking-Out Test is an important tool for
listeners in determining whether a case is ethically justifiable or not.
References
Black, J. & Roberts, C. (2011). The ethics of speaking out. In Good, H. & Borden,
S.L. (Ed.), Doing ethics in media: theories and practical applications. New York:
Routledge.
Wyatt, W., & Bunton, K. (2010). Entertainment and celebrity: The ethics of speaking
out. In Good, H., & Borden, S. L. (2010). Ethics and entertainment: Essays on media
culture and media morality. Jefferson, NC: McFarland.