ICYMI: Mayor Sacks Fire Chief for Anti-Gay Self-Published Book

Former Atlanta Fire Rescue Department Chief Kelvin Cochran. Credit: City of Atlanta

Atlanta Fire Rescue Chief Kelvin Cochran was fired by Mayor Kasim Reed on Tuesday, the day he returned from his suspension for self-publishing a book which allegedly contains homophobic content, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

Reed said during a press conference that the city and Cochran had decided to ”separate” in the wake of the publishing of Cochran’s book “Who Told You That You Are Naked?,” which allegedly promoted conservative Christian ideals and denigrated homosexuality and homosexuals.

In late November, Cochran was suspended without pay when city leaders discovered he had published and distributed the book to members of the department without the permission or consent of the city.

At the time of Cochran’s suspension, WSB-TV reported that Cochran’s book described his first priority as creating a culture that glorifies God. He allegedly called homosexuality a perversion and compared homosexuality to bestiality in the faith-based book, which drew outrage from city leaders.

Cochran is not without his supporters; several religious organizations have rallied around the embattled former fire chief, claiming the suspension was a violation of Cochran’s First Amendment rights and attack on religious liberty.

These groups had demanded that Cochran be formally reinstated and that he receive an apology from Reed for the alleged violation of his constitutional rights, the AJC says.