I've seen a lot of stories lately about people blogging themselves out of jobs.

It makes me laugh.

Free speech is not without consequence. I've known that since I became a writer. (My dad was a big Ben Franklin fan, so I thought y'all might like to look at him while I rant on a bit.)

Any freedom we've given ourselves is defined as freedom vis a vis the government. The government can't stop me from writing this sentence. If this sentence is deemed a threat against, say, the President, I still might be arrested. If this sentence is obscene, and an aggressive attorney general wants to make an issue of it, my life may still become a living hell.

Beyond that limited freedom we have to lay our lives (and words) down and take risks.

This is especially true regarding freedom from business. You can be homeless outside a store on a city sidewalk. When the same store is in a mall forget being homeless -- you may be thrown out for wearing a t-shirt someone doesn't like -- no notice, no recourse.

When there's an employer-employee relationship, the power is more direct. You're dependent. You have only so much freedom as your employer gives you. This is settled as a matter of law, but with every new technology we still have people getting surprised by it.

There are exceptions. If your employer is breaking the law and you go to a government agency you may be protected as a whistle-blower. But your career won't survive it.

Freedom isn't given. It wasn't given to our forefathers. It won't be given to you, not automatically.

If you want it, if you really want it, then fight for it.

The fight for freedom -- of speech, of thought, of the press -- it's a never-ending fight.

The First Amendment only gives you the power to fight. It doesn't say you'll win.

But fight anyway.