GM ignition switch case shows that 'silence can kill': Opinion

By Mark Crawford
Star-Ledger
May 24, 2014

http://www.nj.com/opinion/index.ssf/2014/05/gm_ignition_switch_case_shows_that_silence_can_kill_opinion.html#incart_river

Mary Ruddy, second from left, whose daughter Kelly died in a crash of a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, hugs Rosie Cortinas, whose son Amador also died in a crash of a 2005 Chevy Cobalt, in April on Capitol Hill. Chevrolet parent company General Motors admits at least 13 deaths were related to the ignition switch defect linked to those crashes.

This month, the government took action against a large, powerful corporation for keeping silent about what it knew was a defective ignition switch that put people’s lives at risk. The feds levied a $35 million fine against General Motors.

One government official pointed out that it was clear that many people within the company, from workers to executives, had known about the issue for many years, but the CEO claims to have found out about the problem only recently.

We also learned that the company’s training materials discouraged employees from using words like "defect" or "dangerous" when reporting up the chain of command.

So why did it take so many years before the car manufacturer took action to disclose or offer to correct the problem?

And it appears the company may still be trying to minimize the problem, as it now admits at least 13 deaths were related to the defect. Advocates say the number is much higher, with at least 53 deaths related to the company’s inaction.

Now our Justice Department is conducting a criminal investigation and many are calling on the government to bring charges against the workers and company officials who knew about the defect. The executive director of the Center for Auto Safety said, "That’s the only way you’re going to change GM’s behavior."

Said Transportation Secretary Anthony Fox: "Literally, silence can kill."

I agree, but GM isn’t the only large, powerful institution that has a history of hiding facts, minimizing dangerous threats and keeping quiet about much of what it knew. The silence inflicted harm on children and families and, yes, also led to many deaths.

So one must ask: Why has our government so far failed to act when religious or charitable institutions have acted with a similar disregard for the public’s safety?

For years, we have learned of similar dangerous and irresponsible actions by large and powerful institutions, such as the Boy Scouts of America, Penn State University, the Horace Mann School, Yeshiva University, the American Boy Choir School and the Roman Catholic Church. These institutions put self-interest and self-preservation before the need for children to be safe from known sexual predators. Many lives have been devastated by these deliberate actions and some, unable to cope with the overwhelming damage, have tragically taken their own lives.

I call on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to vigorously investigate the actions of religious and charitable institutions for their criminal attempts to conceal and minimize dangerous predators — actions that included the sexual abuse of children in this country. Ireland, Spain, Australia, Canada, Germany, Chile and several other European countries have done just that, to uncover the extent and impact of child sexual abuse upon the people of their country.

Accountability and consequences are long overdue. Such an investigation will bring with it the impetus for real change and reform within these institutions, which will lead to a healthier and safer society for all.