(A Parody of “God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen”)

God rest ye, whistleblowers,
Let nothing you dismay,
Remember what they do to those
Who don’t just look away.
When questions meet the system
And records don’t align,
They punish those who dared to ask,
Not those who crossed the line.

Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear—
Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear.

Tina Peters said, “Check the records,”
She said, “Let people see,”
The logs, the tabs, the audit trails,
The chain of custody.
But asking wasn’t welcome there,
And trust was not enough,
So bars replaced the arguments
When questions got too rough.

Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear—
Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear.

They said, “The case is settled,”
They said, “Move on, be still,”
But silence isn’t confidence,
And questions never will.
Some call her bold, some reckless,
Some say she crossed a line—
But all can see the warning sent
To anyone next time.

Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear—
Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear.

So lock the doors on scrutiny,
Seal files out of sight,
Declare the process “perfect,”
End every doubt tonight.
But Christmas bells remember
What power fears the most:
A citizen who asks too much
And won’t just trust the host.

Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear—
Oh tidings of transparency,
Truth and sunlight clear.

🎄 Because whether hero or heretic,
the lesson is who pays the price for asking.