We may have plowed this ground before...

but it's worth re-visiting.  Freedom of speech is not absolute.  Just ask Crystal Dixon.  She was the VP of HR for at a university in Ohio.  Until she wrote a letter to the editor of the Toledo Free Press.  In it she wrote:

“As a black woman who happens to be an alumnus of the University of Toledo’s Graduate School, an employee and business owner, I take great umbrage at the notion that those choosing the homosexual lifestyle are ‘civil rights victims.’ Here’s why. I cannot wake up tomorrow and not be a black woman … Daily, thousands of homosexuals make a life decision to leave the gay lifestyle evidenced by the growing population of PFOX (Parents and Friends of Ex Gays) and Exodus International just to name a few,”

She was fired shortly after this was printed.  Even though she told the university that she didn't let her personal views affect her job or prevent her from hiring openly gay employees.  And she sued.

She lost.  The court ruled that in writing her letter she "expressly and publicly contradicted policies that were her duty to enforce".  Therefore her speech wasn't protected under the First Amendment.  I'm not going to get into the issue of her ridiculous contention that homosexuality is a "choice".  I'm focused on the Freedom of Speech issue.

If I work for a non-government employer and I want to criticize my employer's policies, I should be prepared to get fired.  Because that's not protected speech. 

Next time someone says something objectionable and then defends their comments as "hey, I have my free speech rights", educate them.  The First Amendment doesn't mean you can say anything you want without consequence.  If you call your boss a scum-sucking neanderthal low-life maggot and he fires you, your free speech rights weren't violated.  You were allowed to say what you wanted.  You just suffered a consequence for saying what you said.  Government didn't infringe your rights in that case, did they?