Do you hear that? That’s the sound of free speech winning.
Sage Steele won her lawsuit against ESPN on Tuesday in which she alleged that her employer violated her First Amendment right. In 2021, she came under fire for saying that ESPN’s vaccine mandate - which was “get the jab or lose your job” - was unacceptable and disturbing.
“I respect everyone’s decision (to get vaccinated), I really do, but to mandate it is sick and it’s scary to me in many ways," Steele said on a podcast with former NFL quarterback Jay Cutler. "I just, I’m not surprised it got to this point, especially with Disney, I mean a global company like that."
She also claimed President Barack Obama was biracial, and that one-two punch of non-progressive groupthink got her suspended by ESPN. She officially sued the company six months later, and now can enjoy the sweet taste of victory.
Details of the lawsuit and how much she settled for were not immediately made public, but the pay day she’s getting isn’t what’s important. What is truly valuable about this development is that her right to free speech has been protected and that Connecticut lawmakers (which is where the lawsuit was filed) used their powers for good.
Steele’s first order of business was announcing she was moving on from ESPN, the company she had worked for for the past 17 years.
Life update.
— Sage Steele (@sagesteele) August 15, 2023
Having successfully settled my case with ESPN/Disney, I have decided to leave so I can exercise my first amendment rights more freely. I am grateful for so many wonderful experiences over the past 16 years and am excited for my next chapter!#SteeleStrong
Based on her talent and pedigree, she’ll likely land a job in no time.
While Steele’s case is a beacon of hope for others in the workforce who have been afraid to speak out against corporate speech censorship, not everyone was ready to give her props.
Doesn't know the difference between the 1st Amendment and First Take.
— Keith Olbermann⌚️ (@KeithOlbermann) August 15, 2023
An utter phony who will never realize for as long as 15 seconds that everyone can see through her at all times. https://t.co/PQrnUdMPiB
Leftists will always find a problem with conservatives protected by the First Amendment rights they feel are only meant for liberals. But that doesn’t take away from the importance of what Steele has done.
She won her case for the right reasons: not to get a massive payday, which she had many opportunities to cash in on (no pun intended). She was victorious because she knew the free speech implications of her case were more important than any amount of hush money she could get offered.
It feels good to see the good guys win.
