ATLANTA: Fire Chief Suspended After Distributing His Anti-Gay Book

Atlanta Fire Department Chief Kevin Cochran was suspended yesterday after complaints that he had distributed his self-published anti-gay book to some of his subordinates.

In the book based on Christian values, Cochran identifies himself as Atlanta's fire chief and says his first priority as chief is to run the department "to cultivate its culture to the glory of God." He also has critical views on homosexuality, at one point equating it to bestiality. City officials say Cochran violated city policy by publishing a book without permission. "One of the most alarming things is that we did not know about the book when it was published," city spokeswoman Anne Torres said. City officials want to know how often Cochran distributed the book at work to colleagues. "We understand that he was distributing the book to other employees. We are still not sure what the circumstances surrounding them are," Torres said. Investigators are also trying to determine if the views in the book affected his leadership and management decisions.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed issued a statement denouncing the book and expressing his "profound disappointment" with Cochran. The book is titled Who Told You That You Were Naked? An excerpt:

Sexual acts pursued for purposes other than procreation and marital pleasure in holy matrimony is the sex life of a naked man. When men are unrestrained in their quest for sex outside of God’s purpose they will never be fulfilled. Naked me refuse to give in, so they pursue sexual fulfillment through multiple partners, with the opposite sex, same sex and sex outside of marriage and many other vile, vulgar and inappropriate ways which define their body-temple and dishonor God. This is the kind of sex that leaves a man continually empty–the ex life of a naked man. Who told you that you were naked?”

Cochran's suspension will last one month, during which he is to attend sensitivity training. In other words, a new martyr has been born.