Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran fired over anti-gay remarks in book
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Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran — the subject of recent controversy over inflammatory remarks made in a self-published religious book — has been fired from the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Mayor Kasim Reed announced today.
Cochran returned to work today following a month-long suspension for inflammatory comments in his 2013 book “Who Told You That You Are Naked?” Many criticized the book as promoting discriminatory and anti-gay views, while Cochran’s suspension has become the focus of a fight over “religious liberty.”
Cochran could not be immediately reached for comment on Tuesday.
“This is about judgement” Mayor Kasim Reed stated during the news conference Tuesday. “This is not about religious freedom, this is not about free speech” Reed said. “Judgement is the basis of the problem” Reed commented.
Cochran was suspended for a month on November 24 after city officials stated he violated policy by self-publishing his 2013 book, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” which describes homosexuality as “a perversion”. The book also made strong statements towards the treatment of women, Reed noted.
The policy violation may also have included Cochran’s giving copies of the paperback to some co-workers. “I want everyone who works in the Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department to feel welcome” Reed said during the conference.
“Let’s stop trying to make this about making sure we have an environment in government where everyone can come to work,” Reed said.
After he was terminated, Cochran told reporters he received permission from the city’s ethics department to write the book and in fact he sent a copy to the mayor’s office, giving it to the mayor’s assistant.
Cochran says,he asked the mayor about it in January 2014.
“He had confirmed he had received it and that he was going to read it,” Cochran said.
The mayor’s office is adamant he knew nothing about the book until just recently.
Cochran says he did have permission to write the book, but he didn’t get it in writing.
