Atlanta fire chief fired over pro-family book

Baptist Press ^ | January 07, 2015 | Staff

[Graybeard58]

ATLANTA (BP) -- Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has been terminated following a city investigation into a book he wrote that calls homosexual behavior immoral and upholds a biblical view of sexuality.

Kelvin Cochran

Cochran is a deacon, Sunday School teacher and Bible study leader at Atlanta's Elizabeth Baptist Church, a cooperating church with the Georgia Baptist Convention. A two-time Atlanta fire chief, Cochran also served as U.S. Fire Administrator under President Obama from 2009-10.

Mayor Kasim Reed said Jan. 6 that Cochran's failure to obtain proper city permission to publish the book and his refusal to remain silent about the matter during an investigation contributed to the firing.

In December Cochran was suspended without pay for a month and ordered to undergo sensitivity training.

"Despite my respect for Chief Cochran's service, I believe his actions and decision-making undermine his ability to manage our fire department," Reed said at a press conference. "Every single employee under the fire chief's command deserves the certainty that he or she is a valued member of the team and that fairness and respect guide employment decisions. His actions around the book and his statements during this investigation have eroded my confidence in his ability to convey that message."

A "decision to retain Chief Cochran" could have caused the city to be held liable in potential antidiscrimination lawsuits, Reed said -- presumably a reference to potential lawsuits by homosexual employees alleging discrimination.

Cochran said he received verbal clearance to publish the book from the city's ethics officer and provided the mayor with a copy that Reed acknowledged receiving, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. Though Cochran spoke to religious groups about his suspension, he said he obeyed the city's specific instruction not to speak with the media, according to the AJC.

Following Cochran's suspension, the Georgia Baptist Convention issued a news release calling Christians and other people of faith across Georgia to:

-- sign a petition in behalf of Cochran at http://gabaptist.org/petition on the Georgia Baptist Convention's website;

-- support Cochran by purchasing his book on Amazon, "Who Told You That You Are Naked?" which is at the center of the firestorm; and

-- enlist as many churches and believers as possible to contact Mayor Reed to reverse his actions against Cochran.

Please see more detailed story later today.

[Graybeard58]

Kelvin Cochran

[JusPasenThru]

Obvious racism.

[madprof98]

This guy is a model citizen, an up-from-poverty fellow who preaches good character as the key to success. No wonder he is despised.

[Linda Frances]

My tagline.

[WayneS]

This is the sort of thing that can make a democrat’s head explode...

[Oliviaforever]

“Mayor Kasim Reed said Jan. 6 that Cochran’s failure to obtain proper city permission to publish the book and his refusal to remain silent about the matter during an investigation contributed to the firing.”

An obvious violation of the Chief’s First Amendment Right to free speech and his Fifth Amendment Right not to remain silent.

[I am Richard Brandon]

"ordered to undergo sensitivity training."

Translation: Communist re-education.

[BradyLS]

Oooops. Didn’t get “permission.” Of course, you don’t “need” “permission.” Not in Barry Orwell’s America of 2015.

[rovenstinez]

Black people everywhere who are christians needs to RISE and let their voice be heard. Whites as well.

[CGASMIA68]

I see big time $$$$ in this mans future

[CGASMIA68]

“enlist as many churches and believers as possible to contact Mayor Reed to reverse his actions against Cochran”

reverse nothing let his actions(Reed) bite him in the ass for now and a long time coming.He and his handlers screwed up big time

[usconservative]

This guy is a model citizen, an up-from-poverty fellow who preaches good character as the key to success. No wonder he is despised.

Jesus did say in this world we would experience trouble. If they hated Him, how much would they hate us?

[Steve_Seattle]

"Every single employee under the fire chief's command deserves the certainty that he or she is a valued member of the team and that fairness and respect guide employment decisions. His actions around the book and his statements during this investigation have eroded my confidence in his ability to convey that message."

The mayor is obviously too dumb to recognize the blatant contradiction in his statement, i.e., the implication that traditional Christians are NOT welcome or valued, and can be fired for their religious beliefs regardless of their job performance. Unless there are aspects of this story that I'm not aware of - e.g., the chief using public resources for religious purposes - the chief could possibly win a large legal settlement for religious discrimination.

[Steve_Seattle]

"Oooops. Didn’t get “permission.” Of course, you don’t “need” “permission.” Not in Barry Orwell’s America of 2015."

The story says he DID get permission from the city's ethics office, so they can't say he was insubordinate.

[onedoug]

“Sue, sue, sue.”

[HiTech RedNeck]

But if another co-worker happened to belong to a virulently anti-Christian organization, what would happen?

Yep. A lot of nothing.

[greene66]

Seems like the kind of guy who used to be looked up to in America. A community leader, teaching moral character. Christian, pro-family, role model.

But that America is obviously no more. Replaced by an America that is a corrupt and lawless cesspool that worships depravity, and targets such men as this for destruction. Even the GOP, which refuses to stand with bakers and wedding-photographers, and now (like Jeb) embraces the same homo-fascists who have turned the country into such a vomitous sewer.

[El Cid]

Sheesh ... the lunatics are in charge of the insane asylum. What this mayor did was wrong on many levels. Bend the knee to the Sodomite gods or get fired from your job. Good for the Fire Chief, but the Atlanta mayor needs to be flushed.

[tuffydoodle]

Everyone needs to go and buy a copy or two of his book on Amazon. I bought one last night.

[Albion Wilde]

“Mayor Kasim Reed said Jan. 6 that Cochran’s failure to...

Black Muslim trumps black Christian?

According to Wikipedia,

"Reed was born in Plainfield, New Jersey, but his family moved to Fulton County, Georgia, when he was an infant. He was born and raised in a United Methodist household, although his father considered converting to Islam around the time he was born, during the early years of desegregation, and he was named Mohammed to the consternation of his minister grandfather."