In his book Who Told You That You Were Naked? Atlanta’s Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran defines uncleanliness as “whatever is opposite of purity; including sodomy, homosexuality, lesbianism, pederasty, bestiality, all other forms of sexual perversion.”
The 162-page magnum opus, which Cochran self-published last November, was discovered by retired Atlanta Fire Department Captain Cindy Thompson, who is openly gay. After finding it on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble, she alerted the local media outlet, the GA Voice.
“This is highly disturbing,” she said. “I can’t quite believe it, especially since he attached his name and his job to it. That pretty much says how the department thinks.”
Cochran describes himself as a “devout Christian man” whose top priority as fire chief is “to cultivate its culture to the glory of God.” He also calls homosexuality “vile,” “vulgar,” and “inappropriate,” among other things.
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Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed was quick to issue a statement distancing himself from the fire chief’s views.
“I was surprised and disappointed to learn of this book on Friday,” he said. “I profoundly disagree with and am deeply disturbed by the sentiments expressed in the paperback regarding the LGBT community. I will not tolerate discrimination of any kind within my administration.”
The city requires employees to first seek permission and obtain approval before publishing a book, which officials say Cochran did not do.
“One of the most alarming things is that we did not know about the book when it was published,” city spokeswoman Anne Torres said.
As a result, he has been suspended for one month without pay from the Atlanta Fire Department.
Who Told You That You Were Naked? remains for sale for the bargain price of $13 on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble’s websites. We won’t include any links to it, however, because that would just be crazy.
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Graham Gremore is a columnist and contributor for Queerty and Life of the Law. Follow him on Facebook and Twitter.
Ladbrook
Atlanta, the gay capital of the south, is probably the wrong place for jerks like this to be working. That being said, he’s lucky he only got one month suspension. I’d fire him outright. Imagine if he’d written a similar screed about Jews, Muslims, or vegetarians.
Ladbrook
I’d also like to add that I think he has gay-face… probably just another self-hating homosexual. Yawn.
Stache99
Umm..he needs to go. This ain’t exactly a private company that he works for. Clearly he doesn’t represent all in the community.
Stache99
I’m fire him just for being that stupid. What did he think was going to happen?
Alfredo
Another House . . . .well you know the term. Has he forgotten his kind was not even considered human?
corey
Tell him how much you love him:
OFFICE OF THE FIRE CHIEF
Fire Chief Kelvin J. Cochran
404-546-7130
[email protected]
alterego1980
Okay, great! he was suspended a month because he failed to notify anyone that he was publishing a book of his own. Unfortunately, that’s far from the most alarming thing but that’s what the City will focus on so they don’t have to deal with the actual discriminatory message of the book!!
Ms Urethra Johnson
I swear that “daddy” was hitting on me at the Heretic…in 2011…I was in full leather…almost went for it…but he was kind of a little too creepy for my taste…Must have gotten caught, and this is his way of “denying it”. That street is lined with strip joints, various bars and a “steam house” in the office park accross the street… and the infamous “colonades” motel… oh well…
Ogre Magi
christians are such jerks
I'm Black, and HIV-Positive.
It’s amazing that he would define uncleanliness so broadly while leaving out rape, and heterosexual child molestation. So we all know what he’s into.
@Ladbrook: You mean Atlanta is the Down-Low capital. Not quite as respectable. And vegetarians? Even I hate them…
@Ogre Magi: Not as big a jerks as you Satan-worshipping Atheists with your narrow-minded generalizations, and dimwitted scare tactics. And that’s coming from an out and proud Gay Christian dumb bitch!
NoCagada
Shouldn’t his top priority be preventing and/or putting out fires?
Usually a “top priority” is fucking butt, but I suspect he’s a screaming bottom
NoCagada
This is the reply on his e-mail:
I will be out of the office and unable to access my email or cell phone for 30 days. If you have any urgent matters please contact Deputy Fire Chief Joel Baker. Thanks.
Cam
How many times has that guy probably been out cruising some creepy park?
He has a SCORCHING case of gayface.
transiteer
Sounds like he’s in the wrong job. Anyone who believes in the Tooth Fairy (Christianity) and says he’s “devout” (radical), should never be in a position of some effect over other people. How’d this judgmental moron get his job anyway.
I'm White and HIV-Negative
@I’m Black, and HIV-Positive.: What an amazingly tepid response from you. You throw more shade at the other commenters than at this disgraced public official. Of course, this guy is a fundamentalist Black Christian. Why don’t you call him and his church out on their rampant anti-gay lies. If he was white, you’d be all over that.
Bob LaBlah
Cochran describes himself as a “devout Christian man” whose top priority as fire chief is “to cultivate its culture to the glory of God.” He also calls homosexuality “vile,” “vulgar,” and “inappropriate,” among other things.
Trust me, he is channeling the lessons taught by ol’ Master to his descendants, whom had no other choice but to stand there and listen to the “glories” of His teachings and look at the ‘”images” of the Father. What ELSE were they to think hearing that b/s day in and day out or face being whipped if they didn’t? I tell you it is just outright criminal to think back about just how they were treated and the things too many of them honestly do believe.
I wonder how he feels about ol’ Brother Eddie Long and his ignoramus of a side kick, Rev. Bernice King, the unmarried and NEVER been-linked-to-a-man relative of MLK?
manjoguy
And if he did NOT attach his job to it would there be the big brouhaha about this? (People are entitled to their opinions even if we gays disagree with them).
jason smeds
It’s hilarious how Kelvin Cochran doesn’t seem to understand the meaning of basic English words. He is reported in the article as referring to “homosexuality and lesbianism”. LOL. A cursory glance at any dictionary will tell you that homosexuality is the umbrella term for all same-sex sexualities, male or female.
Saying “homosexuality and lesbianism” is like saying “insects and flies”.
Ms Urethra Johnson
@jason smeds:
LOL…”mammals and cows”…
DarkZephyr
@manjoguy: and we are entitled to be outraged by certain opinions and kick up a “big brouhaha” over it. Deal with it.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Very few things infuriate me more than a Black American spewing vile abhorrent bigotry and hatred upon the Gay community…….
It was less than a generation ago that Blacks were facing immense hatred, being beaten, murdered, had no protections in job security and housing. They fought the battle and for the most part achieved parity with other minorities. Yet they still face segments of the country that spew hatred and bigotry on them….
And instead of joining our fight for equality in solidarity many of these Black smcubags join the rightwing nutbag lunatics who only mock acceptance of Blacks because it is no longer mainstream accepted. The Black Pastors who stand at the puplit and spew how much God hates Gays looked down upon by God in shame as they take his name to justify their campaign of bigotry and hatred……..
I always take solance in depicting the time when they burn out their vile mortal coils and approach the gates of Heaven and seek entry. They approach St. Peter and request entry. St.Peter advises he needs to check with God….
Over the heavenly intercom a booming voice declares “Are you freaking kidding me???”
Stache99
@PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS: This guy is using the same book that was used against blacks during that time to justify slavery.
Slavery is rampant throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. The Bible clearly approves of slavery in many passages, and it goes so far as to tell how to obtain slaves, how hard you can beat them, and when you can have sex with the female slaves.
I’m sometimes just amazed how any black person can call themselves a “devout Christian”
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
@Stache99: Agree, and it was also used in the 1960’s to deny equality for Blacks
Kangol
@Alfredo: “His kind”? Thin ice, huntee….
This closeted queen thinks that imposing his warped Christianist world view on the Atlanta fire department–really?–is acceptable behavior, which should tell everyone how fearful of his own repressed gay desires (and intense stupidity) he truly is.
As others have said, Fire Chief Girl has severe gay face. Also, it cannot be said enough, but Jesus Christ NEVER once mentions homosexuality, or abortion for that matter, though same-sexual desire was known in his day, as were abortifacients, but He is quite clear about mistreating others, etc.
Why don’t the Christianists ever grasp this???