Who Does the First Amendment Protect You From?

            Curt Schilling, a former baseball pitcher and now ESPN commentator, was recently fired for 

speaking out about his opinion on the new law being passed in North Carolina. Thinking it was his 

First Amendment right to speak out about his personal opinions on TV, like many before him. 

Schilling said that he supported the transgender bathroom law that says people who are transgender 

must use the bathroom that matches their biological sex. Because of this announcement, ESPN 

proceeded to fire Schilling from his commentator job.

            Many important figures, like Ted Cruz, have spoken out in support of Schilling and his 

actions. One article gives an example of Tony Kornheiser, another ESPN commentator, who 

reportedly speaks about very liberal ideas that he outwardly agrees with on the job, yet has not been 

fired. The firing of Schilling showed that his First Amendment right protected him from government 

penalty but not from ESPN’s.