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Fire Department Chaplain Austin, Texas, gets fired for posting beliefs in God's natural way Dr. Andrew Fox, who Volunteered his time Who gets to decide what views are acceptable on your personal blog? The answer is you… but too many times, in today’s America, the government wants to be the one to decide. This happened to Dr. Andrew Fox, and the repercussions were grim. A Christian minister, Dr. Fox served as his city’s volunteer lead fire chaplain for eight years. He was there for the 1,400 uniformed and civilian members of Austin’s fire department through many difficult times. But in 2022, city officials abruptly ended Dr. Fox’s tenure. Why? On his personal blog, Dr. Fox expressed his religious view that men and women are biologically different, and men should not compete on women’s sports teams. Dr. Fox apologized if he offended anyone, but he could not recant his beliefs or apologize for his faith. It wasn’t enough for city officials — they made him turn in his uniform and end his years of voluntary service. That’s why Dr. Fox reached out to Alliance Defending Freedom, which assisted him in suing the city of Austin for violating his First Amendment rights. Watch to learn more about what ADF is doing to protect free speech, religious freedom, and other First Amendment liberties throughout the country. You can watch more videos like this and learn how you can stand for freedom at https://ADFLegal.org/Freedom-Matters. “What controversial belief extinguished my own career?” Dr. Fox asks. “I wrote that men and women are biologically different, and that men should not compete on women’s sports teams. When city officials demand that I recant and apologize for the harm my blog post allegedly caused, I explained that my intent was to foster discussion, not to cause offense.” Can a government official tell an employee what to think, what to say, on their own personal blog? Where’s the line? When Dr. Fox came as an immigrant to America, he chose to live here in part because of our First Amendment liberties—our protections of free speech and religious liberty in particular. As a teacher, he knows our history. As an ordained minister, he believes in the value and pursuit of truth. The government can’t tell you what to think or say. And those who serve the public shouldn’t be punished for expressing their personal opinions on their personal websites simply because some might disagree. Here’s the bottom line: The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees Dr. Fox the right to speak freely. “I’m not the first to face this injustice,” Dr. Fox says. “But I am speaking out and going to court, because I’d like to be the last.” Back to the FASC page Back to the FASC page |