During my past career in public relations, I once worked for an embattled nonprofit executive director who screamed and cussed at me when he told me to keep a Baltimore Sun reporter away from him.
I responded by warning him in no uncertain terms to never talk to me like that again, and by telling him I will never lie for him.
He terminated my position within a week, which I expected.
It was the best experience I ever had: I stood up to an authoritarian bully while maintaining integrity in my profession and respect for the news media.
Not every public relations practitioner can do what I did, and many are not willing to do so.
However, enabling people in power to lie and diminish the role of the free press must be stopped whenever, wherever and however possible.
Too much is at stake in our nation to allow otherwise.
