Ally Schweitzer, NPR; When is it time to have the courage to quit?
"If your boss asks you to do something you consider unethical, do you resign or hold the line?
Some federal workers are wrestling with that question now, as President Trump calls to reshape the mission and perceived politics of government agencies. In one recent example, multiple prosecutors resigned after Trump's Department of Justice ordered Manhattan officials to drop corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
"I expect you will eventually find someone who is enough of a fool, or enough of a coward, to file your motion. But it was never going to be me," wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Hagan Scotten in his resignation letter...
But sometimes, sticking around is the more ethical choice, Rutgers philosophy professor Alex Guerrero told NPR. He spoke with Morning Edition host A MartÃnez about what to consider before leaving a job that conflicts with your values...
MartÃnez: Is there an argument that some people who choose to resign for ethical reasons ought to stay? Maybe they can do more good by staying as opposed to making a public statement by leaving.
Guerrero: Absolutely. I think especially in cases where you might not be in a particularly high-profile position, maybe nobody will really notice that you leave. But also, there might be cases where it's really important that people stay and look for ways to fight from within: to try to push back against what's being done, to gum up the works. I think in many cases, the ethical thing to do actually is to stay in the role, as hard as it might be, because if you leave, you might be replaced by somebody who is gung ho about the immoral thing and will push forward in a much worse way. But also, you might well be able to help slow down the things that are being done."
