Perspective: Silence Is A Choice And Not The Right One

(MENAFN- PRovoke) This weekend, like most Americans, I was stunned and horrified witnessing the murder of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who worked for the Veterans Affairs Department. Our government killed a US citizen who worked for a federal government agency and tended to those who served our country. As I type, I remain shocked this is reality.

After being consumed with news and social media on Saturday, I went offline to have some space. When I logged back on in the evening, while my other socials were robust feeds speaking out about what ICE had done, I was frankly appalled to see absolute silence on LinkedIn. You'd think it was a normal January day when we didn't witness, from multiple angles, federal agents fire 10 shots into an ICU nurse who was trying to help a woman and put his body between her and the agents. Again: silence from the largest platform for business and industry.

So let me please be very clear that we are at the point where we can no longer pretend that we can live multi-layered lives and turn a blind eye to what's happening in our country and how that impacts us on all levels. This is not business as usual. We must stop the facade that this is a moment to compartmentalize our work, leadership roles, ambition, or comfort while civilians are being hunted, brutalized, and executed in the streets. Let me say it again: murdered in the streets.

I've heard from dozens of friends and people in my network in Minneapolis who are literally begging, pleading to share what it's“really like” in their community. As bad as it seems as told by traditional and social media, they're saying it's exponentially worse. It's hard to even imagine.

And yet, the silence from companies, corporate executives, and boards of directors is deafening. Silence is a statement and in this case, it is telling us plenty. And listen, I get it. This administration has made no secret it can and will target those who get in its way. Law firms, universities, and media outlets can attest that this is not a hollow threat. But here's the thing. What's happening with ICE in Minneapolis, Portland, Maine, and Oregon, Charlotte, Memphis, Chicago, and even where I live in Evanston, is abhorrent on many levels: legal, ethical, humanity, bigotry, to name a few. But it's also having a deeply negative impact on industry.

Workers aren't showing up for fear of detainment. In Minneapolis, I've read that upwards of 30% of children aren't in school. People aren't shopping. And as we saw on Friday before Saturday's tragic events, there are massive strikes and boycotts being put into action. So even if a corporation can somehow idly sit by watching inhumane immigration methods, we're now at the point where their complicity is contributing to negative economic impact, which begs the question: are we, as a society, and is our industry more hell-bent on upholding suppression vs. profit?

What we are living through right now, this moment, is as historic as it is catastrophic. And when we look back on it, people will ask where the voices were, where were our leaders across government and industry and why didn't more of them speak up. I am asking myself this right now.

As a CEO and comms professional for over 20 years, and as a citizen who deeply loves and is in fear of the future of our country, I implore every person reading this: please, speak up. We need moral clarity from every one of us, especially those of us who hold power, privilege, platforms, titles, and influence. We are watching the rights of U.S. citizens stripped away in real time. We are watching our government turn against its citizens and lie to us about it, unapologetically.

Every employer, manager, leader, executive, and founder who refuses to publicly denounce this is teaching their teams that safety, reputation, and profit matter more than human life. That compliance is preferable to conscience. That neutrality is an acceptable stance in the face of brutality. It is not.

For those who worry about consumer or investor backlash, refer to how Costco has navigated the past year, especially compared to Target (one of the MN-based companies whose employees were tackled and detained on their private property with no pushback). Costco is a living example of how to navigate and uphold its values in the wake of mounting pressures. It did not waver to investor pressures to erase their inclusion policies the way other retailers like Target did. And they've even taken a page out of the administration's playbook by filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking a full refund of tariffs paid on imported goods. Their stock is up 18% YoY compared to Target, whose stock is down 26% YoY.

It's not lost on me that in stark contrast to how corporations are showing up (or not), hundreds of smaller businesses throughout Minneapolis closed to support protests and a strikeout against what's happening in their community. The companies who it could be argued are the most vulnerable are showing up, while the goliaths of corporate America have been hiding in the wings.

Finally on Sunday, a letter was published signed by the CEOs of 60 of the largest corporations based in Minnesota. If silence was deafening, this letter was worse. Objectively from a communications standpoint, it was a passive, disingenuous, and feeble attempt to placate with no substance and I would not have advised my clients to sign on. We know the mighty dollar is sharper than the sword, and if these companies were genuinely committed to showing up for their workforce, customers, and consumers, they could make that abundantly clear. Instead, they checked a box.

My advice to every professional and executive right now is simple: leadership is not about being liked. It is not about avoiding backlash. It is not about maintaining access or protecting proximity to power. Leadership is about doing what is hard and showing up. Even (or especially!) when it might cost you something. As a CEO, employer, mother and citizen, I refuse to normalize this. I refuse to pretend this is acceptable. And I refuse to look back one day and wonder why I said nothing when it mattered.

If you are reading this and feeling uncomfortable with your silence and complicity, good. Sit with it and ask yourself what you'll tell your kids or grandkids when they ask you about this time and how you showed up. You have the opportunity to speak out, right now, and I can't imagine a more needed time for voices from industry to demand change and denounce this violence.

Silence is a choice, and today, tomorrow, it is the wrong one.

Catherine Merritt is CEO and founder of Spool Marketing and Communications.

Note: This article reflects the views of the author and is published as part of PRovoke Media's opinion section. It does not necessarily represent the views of PRovoke Media or its editorial team. We welcome a range of perspectives and invite readers to submit thoughtful responses or counterpoints for consideration to [email protected].

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