ATLANTA: Alliance Defending Freedom Sues City Over Fired Crackpot Fire Chief

Last month the ADF filed an EEOC complaint and today they filed a civil rights suit. Considering that their litigation track record rivals that of the Liberty Counsel, the former fire chief probably shouldn't hold his breath.

ATLANTA: Former Fire Chief Files Religious Discrimination Complaint With Feds

Via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has filed a federal discrimination complaint contending he faced religious discrimination when the City fired him after he published a book that contained controversial statements about homosexuality. Cochran swore out the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging violations of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by the City of Atlanta on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Attorney Jonathan Crumly filed an EEOC complaint Wednesday on behalf of Cochran, who was fired this month after complaints about his self-published 2013 book, “Who Told You You Are Naked?” “Americans are guaranteed the freedom to live without fear of losing their jobs because of their beliefs and thoughts. We are continuing to evaluate all available legal options to vindicate Chief Cochran after his unjust termination,” said Crumly, who is allied with the group Alliance Defending Freedom that has rallied to Cochran’s defense.

Mayor Reed reacts: "He can get all of the lawyers he wants so that he can continue to have publicity and sell books, but he's going to lose the legal case. What is not disputed is he never communicated with me, the chief executive officer, prior to the publication of the book. It's clearly out of bounds." (Tipped by JMG reader Arthur)

Focus On The Family: Atlanta Will No Longer Allow Christians To Hold Jobs

HRC Backs Atlanta Mayor Kasis Reed

Tony Perkins Vs New York Times

"Just when you thought the media couldn't sink any lower, the Times takes on the same First Amendment that gives it the freedom to print these vicious attacks on Christians. In a stunning column, the newspaper argues that men and women of faith have no place in public management of any kind. The piece, which shows a remarkable disinterest in the facts, claims that Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran didn't have permission to publish his book on biblical morality. Not only did Cochran have permission from the city's ethics office to publish his book, but he only distributed it in his personal capacity at church -- where a handful of his coworkers attend. At no point did Kelvin Cochran 'foist his views on anyone. And if you follow the Times's suggestion to its natural conclusion, then there's no place in this country for Christians in any position of authority! It's time for the city of Atlanta to end its campaign of discrimination against Christians, whose only crime is exercising the same liberties our forefathers came to these shores to protect. The New York Times is calling for public servants to be held to a different standard when it comes to their freedom of speech and religion. But I think most Americans are quite happy with the standard that we've had for the last 226 years -- the First Amendment!" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, ranting about this editorial.

Tony Perkins Compares Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed To Islamic Terrorists

The FRC has launched the hashtag #FiredForFaith. You know what to do.

UPDATE: The local Fox affiliate was live-streaming. Click play and forward to where things start around the 20-minute mark. At the 60-minute mark anti-gay crackpot Alveda King speaks. King is currently signing her press releases as "Dr. Alveda King" because she got an honorary doctorate from some Christian college. Perkins follows shortly after King.

Candidates Vie For Gay Vote In Atlanta's Mayoral Runoff Election

Atlanta, according to one survey, is the third-gayest city in the nation. That may be why both candidates in the city's mayoral runoff election are battling to win the LGBT vote.

"I cannot recall a mayor's race when there's been so much attention placed on the gay and lesbian vote," said Jeff Graham, executive director of Georgia Equality, the state's largest gay rights group. "All of a sudden, overnight, it's like an unbelievable push [to prove] who's gayer," added Glen Paul Freedman, chief of staff for City Council President Lisa Borders. Eleven days after the November vote, Norwood -- who would be the first white mayor of Atlanta since the 1970s -- was outside the state Capitol for a rally protesting Proposition 8, California's anti-gay-marriage measure. She told the crowd she had sent a donation to the forces fighting Prop. 8, and called herself "the only mayoral candidate who supports full marriage equality." A rainbow flag icon is now featured prominently on Norwood's campaign website; it links to a page reminding viewers that "each person in a couple" can contribute $1,200 to a candidate in the runoff.

Her rival, Reed -- a favorite of Atlanta's civil rights establishment who favors gay civil unions, not marriage -- has touted his pro-gay-rights record in the Legislature, where he sponsored a hate crimes bill that extended protections to gays. Reed, in a recent televised debate, attacked Norwood for missing a City Council vote on a measure to extend pension benefits to domestic partners of city employees. "I think it's great that they're paying attention to our issues," said Philip Rafshoon, founder and general manager of Outwrite Bookstore & Coffeehouse, in the heart of the heavily gay Midtown neighborhood. "And I think this community will hold their feet to the fire on those issues."

Gay turnout will likely be boosted by two openly gay candidates running for Atlanta's city council and for the state legislature.