GEORGIA: Fired Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran Still Wants His Job Back

Via the Heritage Foundation:

After being fired for writing what’s been described as an “anti-gay” book, former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran says he “absolutely” wants his job back. “In the United States of America, Americans should not have to choose between keeping your job and living out your faith,” Cochran told The Daily Signal in an exclusive interview. “And that’s the position the city of Atlanta actually has taken—that I have to have a choice to live out my faith or to keep my job.” Cochran was fired in January 2015 for publishing a men’s devotional book for a Baptist church group. In the book, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” Cochran addressed issues of homosexuality, gay marriage and premarital sex from a biblical perspective. Upon being fired, Cochran filed his own federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta, alleging that he was wrongfully terminated and being discriminated against for his Christian beliefs. “In the United States of America, we are guaranteed the freedom to live without fear of being terminated or experiencing any adverse action for the free expression of our beliefs and thoughts,” Cochran said. “It was an injustice against me on that basis.” The case is still ongoing.

As we know, Cochran wasn't fired for his "anti-gay views" but for proselytizing at the workplace.

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)

Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins Makes "State Of The Family" Address

Via the Washington Times:

The American way of life is in crisis and is in need of a spiritual, moral and cultural renewal, a traditional values leader said Monday night in a first-of-its-kind address. “The state of our union is only as strong as the state of our family,” Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC), said in the first “state of the family” speech, presented on the eve of President Obama’s State of the Union address. Mr. Perkins singled out religious freedom as the foundation for “the whole of our republic” and lamented that religious liberties seem to be “chipped away” with “each rap of the gavel of an activist judge or human rights tribunal.” He first called on Christians to “pray and to act,” to renew the pledge to keep American “one nation, under God.”

He further asked for the passage of the Marriage and Religious Freedom Act to prevent “government discrimination against those whose conscience and beliefs view marriage as a union of a man and a woman.” His final request, in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., were for faithful Americans of different races to march together, “all as one in Christ Jesus,” to rebuild the key elements of U.S. society, and for Americans not to be silent or retreat into their churches or homes “in the face of threatening winds of intolerance and irreligion.” The FRC president singled out four families in the audience who endured, or are enduring, a crucible of faith over abortion or same-sex marriage.

In his speech Perkins singled out the current martyrs of the religious right including the former Atlanta fire chief and the owners of anti-gay bakeries and floral shops.

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

FRC Money Begs On Fired Fire Chief

"After 30 years of distinguished public service, the mayor fired Kelvin Cochran because he self-published a 160-page book written for his church Bible study. This is not the first story we've heard about government's attack on our religious freedoms. In this case, only one half of one page in his book discussed the Biblical view of homosexuality. This example provides us with just the most recent illustration of why -- now more than ever -- we must stand up for religious freedom. This will be a huge priority for FRC Action this year. As we continue towards our January membership goal, would you consider giving to help us advance this effort? This is not only for the situation with Chief Cochran but for the many others just like him around the country. There are many others and this dangerous trend shows no sign of letting up in 2015. We must stand up to it. That's why we need your support this year. Would you give $25, $35, $75 or whatever you're able to join FRC Action and help with the effort? Thank you for considering this. We can't stand for issues like this in Washington, D.C. without the support of people like you!" - Hate group leader Josh Duggar, via email. (Notice how Cochran's book is now suddenly written for a Bible study group?)

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.

NOM Money Beg Includes "Free" Copy Of Anti-Gay Book By Fired Atlanta Fire Chief

Just in via email:

Dear Joe, Right now, our friend Reverend Garland Hunt is preparing to lead the Standing for Our Faith Rally at the Georgia Capitol rotunda in support of Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran. At the center of the controversy down in Atlanta is a man who has served as a public official with a sterling record; and who is suddenly deemed ‘unfit' for service because he wrote in a book that he believes the Biblical truth about marriage and sexuality. It's ridiculous, it's a violation of our sacred first amendment, and it's happening more and more frequently. So now is when you and I must draw a line in the sand and put a stop to it! Won't you please renew your membership for 2015 by making a generous gift of $25 or more to NOM right away so we will have the resources to intervene and support ordinary Americans like Chief Cochran when they come under attack from vicious same-sex ‘marriage' bullies? And if you respond to this email by renewing your membership with a gift, I will send you a copy of Chief Cochran's book, "Who Told You That You Are Naked?" which is at the heart of this 'controversy'."

Brian Brown closes: "Help NOM defend men and woman of faith all around the country from the attacks of intolerant, vicious bullies pushing a marriage redefinition agenda."

Editorial Of The Day

From the editorial board of the New York Times:

Until last week, Kelvin Cochran was the chief of the Atlanta fire department, where he oversaw a work force of more than 1,000 firefighters and staff. He was fired on Jan. 6 by Atlanta’s mayor, Kasim Reed, for homophobic language in the book, “Who Told You That You Were Naked?” Among other things, he called homosexuality a “perversion,” compared it to bestiality and pedophilia, and said homosexual acts are “vile, vulgar and inappropriate.”

Mr. Cochran had already been suspended for a month in November for distributing the book to staff members. Following an internal investigation, the mayor did the right thing and dismissed Mr. Cochran for what he called poor judgment: specifically, for failing to get approval for the book’s publication, for commenting publicly on his suspension after being told not to, and for exposing the city to possible discrimination lawsuits.

It should not matter that the investigation found no evidence that Mr. Cochran had mistreated gays or lesbians. His position as a high-level public servant makes his remarks especially problematic, and requires that he be held to a different standard. The First Amendment already protects religious freedom. Nobody can tell Mr. Cochran what he can or cannot believe. If he wants to work as a public official, however, he may not foist his religious views on other city employees who have the right to a boss who does not speak of them as second-class citizens.

Hate groups will rally at the Georgia Capitol Building this afternoon in support of Cochran's alleged right to proselytize at the workplace and hand out anti-gay rants to his subordinates.

ATLANTA: Hate Groups To Rally Today In Support Of Fired Anti-Gay Fire Chief

The image above comes via NOM. Tony Perkins will also be there in Atlanta today. From his press release:

Atlanta's fire department is supposed to put out the flames -- not fan others. Unfortunately for Mayor Kasim Reed, the controversy over the firing of Christian fire chief Kelvin Cochran is igniting a different debate over religious liberty. Despite insisting that the decision to sack Cochran had nothing to do with his faith, it seems that Mayor Reed's decision was rooted in nothing but. Angry over a book written for a men's bible study that Chief Cochran had the city's permission to publish, Who Told You That You Were Naked?, the Mayor is finding out just how unpopular his intolerance is. For now, the newest face of the religious liberty debate has no intentions of backing down. We shouldn't either! Sign FRC's petition in support of Chief Cochran and I will let him know that you are standing with him as he stands for the truth! If you're in the Atlanta area tomorrow, please join us at 1:30 p.m. for the rally in the Capitol Rotunda.

Perkins, as usual, is lying. The mayor's office says they never heard about the book and as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution declared, "Cochran forced his own firing" by vowing to continue to proselytize at the workplace upon returning from his suspension.

Brian Brown Fundraises On Firing Of Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran

"Mr. Cochran was simply exercising his First Amendment rights, publishing a book as a private individual and not making any claims as a representative of the city. His views - which, incidentally, are views shared by a majority of Georgians and a majority of people throughout the country and across the globe - have no bearing on whether he is fit to serve as the city's Fire Chief. There is simply no justification for firing him on the basis of this book! But, of course, the radical gay agenda isn't interested in the First Amendment, or in the values of tolerance and respect for a diversity of opinions. They simply want to silence any opposition and turn traditional values about marriage and family into the social and legal equivalent of hate speech and bigotry. We cannot stand by and allow this kind of bullying and intimidation to continue. Click here right away to sign our petition and to say, 'Enough is enough!' We need to stand united against the intolerant bullies who want to drive good people like you and me and Mr. Cochran from the public square in shame." - Hate group leader Brian Brown, launching a petition which adds the signees' names to the NOM mailing list. The Family Research Council, Faith Driven Consumer, and Charisma Magazine have all launched petitions of their own, but those won't help NOM's money woes.

RELATED: The LGBT hijacking of the #ExtinguishIntolerance hashtag is well under way. If you've got a Twitter account, join in.

Tony Perkins On Atlanta's Fired Fire Chief

"Atlanta's Kelvin Cochran knows all about fire -- but being fired? That's a whole new experience -- one Cochran hopes other Christians never face. The long-time member of the city's Fire Rescue Department was forced out of the squad in a shocking display of anti-religious prejudice after a distinguished career that [sic] an appointment by the Obama administration as the U.S. Fire Administrator. Unfortunately for Cochran, Mayor Kasim Reed seems intent on making an example of the African-American, who self-published a book -- with the permission of the mayor's office -- on biblical morality. After chatting with a handful of Christian co-workers, Kelvin offered them copies of Who Told You That You Were Naked? which includes a chapter on human sexuality that's consistent with the Bible's teaching on the subject. Despite the fact that Cochran had his superiors' approval, and despite the fact that he only gave the book to friends, he was suspended late last year -- until yesterday, when the Mayor fired him. Obviously, it's one thing to use your platform to intimidate subordinates, but the idea that you should have to surrender your First Amendment rights merely for being a public servant is outrageous. What's to prevent the government from going after another employer or contractor?" - Hate group leader Tony Perkins, in a press release that fails to report that Mayor Reed's office denies having been notified about the book.

FRC staffer Travis Weber picks up the story in a posting on their blog today:

In essence, the chief was fired by the mayor and his allies because (if they were honest) they “think he might discriminate against gay people.” Never mind there is zero evidence of any such discrimination. Simply put, no one can point to any adverse action Chief Cochran has ever taken against someone based on their homosexuality! If they could, we certainly would have heard about it, given the frenzied fears of “potential” future discrimination and a “possible” hostile work environment. But because that’s all the mayor and his allies have to go on, all we’ve heard about is the “possibility” of future discrimination. This is a clear case of someone being eliminated from their position because of their views alone. This is even worse than other recent cases of disapproval of orthodox Christian views among public figures in the United States. Without exaggeration, we can say we have just seen the government monitoring personal expression for approval or disapproval, backed up by power of law.

As the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has made clear, Cochran "forced his own firing" by going on a speaking tour of churches during his suspension where he declared (to great applause, no doubt) that he would continue to proselytize at the workplace upon his return. The FRC has launched a pro-Cochran petition as have the anti-gay Faith Driven Consumer, who writes:

People of faith in Atlanta have been sent a clear message -- unless you agree with the mayor and his point of view, you could be subject to persecution. Concerned citizens aware of similar actions taking place in other parts of the world where human rights are not respected, but are stunned to learn this is happening not only in America, but also in the very city that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born and raised. "We are calling on Mayor Reed to immediately reinstate Chief Cochran, to apologize for his actions, and to take specific steps to ensure that no person of faith in Atlanta will be singled out by his administration simply due to the expression of their religious convictions. The people of Atlanta and America will not stand for intolerance, inequality, and flagrant bigotry. We are demanding Equal Application of Equal Protection for all people -- including people of faith.

The name of their petition: Extinguish Intolerance, which they are supporting with a hashtag campaign on Twitter. Time for some hijacking!

Erick Erickson: Gay Terrorists Have Won

"A publisher published something that offended. It mocked, it offended, and it showed the fallacy of a religion. It angered. So the terrorists decided they needed to publicly destroy and ruin the publisher in a way that would not only make that destruction a public spectacle, but do it so spectacularly that others would think twice before publishing or saying anything similar. The terrorists did what had to be done to publicly destroy and ruin the offender. So they demanded the Mayor of Atlanta fire the Chief of the Fire Department for daring to write that his first duty was to 'glory God' and that any sex outside of heterosexual marriage was a sin. And the terrorists won in Atlanta." - RedState editor Erick Erickson, writing tonight for his personal site. Erickson's obvious intention is to compare LGBT activists to the Islamist terrorists in France. (Tipped by JMG reader Gil)

Former Atlanta Fire Chief: Gays Got Me Fired For Expressing My Christian Beliefs

You didn't think Todd Starnes would let this guy go unmartyred, did you?

“The LGBT members of our community have a right to be able to express their views and convictions about sexuality and deserve to be respected for their position without hate or discrimination,” Cochran told me in an exclusive interview. “But Christians also have a right to express our belief regarding our faith and be respected for our position without hate and without discrimination. In the United States, no one should be vilified, hated or discriminated against for expressing their beliefs.” Cochran told me that someone within the department obtained a copy of the book and took it to openly-gay city council member Alex Wan. Wan released a statement supporting Cochran’s termination and said it “sends a strong message to employees about how much we value diversity and how we adhere to a non-discriminatory environment.” The book caused a firestorm within Atlanta’s LGBT community and there were many calls for him to be fired – a decision the mayor finally agreed to. “I guess they got what they asked for,” Cochran said.

As reported here earlier, not only did Cochran distribute his anti-gay book to his subordinates, during his suspension he went on a speaking tour of Atlanta churches where he declared that he would continue to proselytize at work upon his return. The local Atlanta paper got it right yesterday: "Cochran forced his own firing."

Predicted Martydom Commences

Red State douchebag Erick Erickson is calling on his readers to order Kelvin Cochran's book and send it to Atlanta's mayor. (Tipped by JMG reader Kyle)