After spending months trash talking his former employer to any media outlet that would listen, former Atlanta Fire Chief and antigay activist Kelvin Cochran says he now “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. “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 terminated late last year after it was revealed that his self-publishing a book, Who Told You That You Were Naked?, termed homosexuality “vile,” “vulgar,” and “inappropriate,” comparing it to bestiality. He was initially suspended and eventually fired. (The city requires employees to obtain written approval before publishing a book, which officials say Cochran failed to do.) The good folk of Atlanta wondered whether he could serve the LGBT constituency fairly as chief with such extreme and bizarre views.
Related: Antigay Christians Fear Losing Their Jobs For Being Homophobic At Work
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“Many Christian men struggle with issues of sexual sin and sexuality, and so I spoke to that in the book — why God created sex and that God’s purpose for sex was for procreation, and to do it his way it has to be done in holy matrimony,” Cochran explained to The Daily Signal. “That led to the controversy.”
That and the fact that, after he was exposed for being a homophobe, Cochran went on a media tour to slander Atlanta’s mayor, participated in a “religious freedom” rally alongside Tony Perkins and the right-wing Research Council outside the Georgia state capitol, and gave a speech in which he compared himself to Jesus H. Christ. Oh, and he filed a federal lawsuit against the city of Atlanta, claiming he was wrongfully terminated.
“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.”
Related: GOP Golden Boy Marco Rubio OK With You Being Fired For Being Gay
Stephen Meeks
Hell to the NO
andy_d
When one is a GOVERNMENT employee, one MUST keep their faith and beliefs separate from the job.
Bob LaBlah
Lets see the outcome of the lawsuit, the appeals that will come with it and, last but not least, if he is still alive by the time it is all over. Some how, I doubt it. It sounds like this fool insulted one person too many during his tirade and belief that he would get a television show out of this. It didn’t quite pan out that way, did it?
Christopher Hayward
Not going to happen.
Atrius
Shoe…meet the other foot.
Brandon E Donovan
Don’t give it to him, he’s a monster
Terry Purdue
Nope! He violated the rules of his contract and should be refused
Christopher DeRosa
He should get a confederate flag tattooed across his forehead. He is free to have free speech and I should be free to recognize him as a bigot from across the street.
Romeo Austin
Paulie Patterson
Would he allow a white man to have his job back if the man said black people are vile? No? This is exactly the same.
Ulises Garcia
#byefelicia
Denis Camacho
Patrick Laney
No. Next.
Jeff Rice
He believes he lives in a country where he’s guaranteed job security free from persecution (how’s that work for LGBTs in 29 states???) and yet it’s ok for him to judge. And I’m pretty sure every time he has had sex with his wife, it wasn’t for the purpose of procreation. These people are truly delusional! I am especially fond of the black men & women that carry on like this. Of all people who should get persecution for something they have absolutely no control over (skin color). His freedom of opinion was upheld. No one guarantees you there won’t be repercussions for voicing your opinion.
Phil McNamara
No.
Paul Higdon-Smith
just say NO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Josh447
Best you thought about all this BEFORE you wrote your nasty vile gay bashing book. Go fish.
Jesse Erickson
He’d be lent more credibility if he hadn’t been publicly trash talking his employers
Craig Bankert
2 words: buh bye
Ron King
Not good employee material.
Shirley White
Hope he never finds another job EVER!
Transiteer
Nope. Bugger off, Bigot. Amen.
charlie_jackpot
If god made sex for the purposes of procreation, why did he make it feel so good? Why did he make a penis going inside my anus feel so good. Maybe I was made by some force other than god?
Rick Stowell
Freedom of speech does not guarantee job security or adverse consequences as a result of said speech. Just that he can’t be imprisoned for his hateful rhetoric. Why do people create Constitutional arguments when they are so clueless? If your boss can fire you for a Facebook post, you can lose your job for hate speech, nimrod.
Rick Wetzler
too late, KARMA is a B**CH!!! THINK BEFORE YOU PUT SOMETHING in print it will follow you to your grave.
Joel Quinones
Afraid not. Doesn’t work well with others should be checked off.
Jeffrey Kagan McCann
And BIG F U Mr. Cochran!
Cam
“”“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.””
___________________
That is a lie. We are guaranteed that we have the right to speak our minds without arrest.
If a waitress stood at the door of a restaurant where she worked and said that all of the employees are dirty sinners and the owner was evil, guess what, she has the right to say that, and the owner has the right to fire her.
Cesar Fortun
Oh, another bigoted gorilla!
Jeff Franklin
Apologise, say you were completely wrong, public speech about how wonderful the LGBT community is and how happy you are about marriage equality, campaign to remove every anti-gay discrimination law, 500 hours community service……….and we’ll talk.
Matthew Katz
UMMMM??? NO!
Noah Ayyash
http://33.media.tumblr.com/b3a168632817a75852e4132f3109e1f1/tumblr_mszs8ydBgm1qbwyjmo1_400.gif
scotshot
Ignorance has consequences.
Barb Kipper
No job.
Mac Daddie
So, I guess he’s ready to come out of the closet now???
sweetbrandigirl2004
@andy_d: I agree with you but I would go even futher and say when you’re an employee or a business owner you need to keep you’re fucking religion to yourself IMO. As an employee you are there to work not spread your rellgon also when you open or run a business you are there to serve the pubilc not spread your beliefs. Serving the public means ALL the public not just the ones that meet with your approval !
Ralph Vendegna
Hell no. Go find some place else to work.
Realitycheck
Well said guys, a person religious view are and should remain private,
the one thing to be said for sure about this nut case….
Atlanta EX Fire Chief and antigay activist Kelvin Cochran is not professional,
and it is not in the best interest of the public to have this a man in such an important position.
Victor Barry
Seems to me like he’s now an author. Like it or not.
DCFarmboi
Gee, the conservatives consistently object to public workers having any rights on the job or employment protections except now have suddenly switched positions.
Fred Alan Wolf III
NO !
Barry T Stearns
Too bad
OrchidIslander
@Cesar Fortun: That is a fucked up and uncalled for remark! You sir are no better than the subject of this article. Equally unsettling is that no one else called your reprehensible self out for your base and ignorant racism.
Ashley Marie Limon
No. You are free to say what you want, sure… but you’re also free to reap what you sew.
Gerald GeeLocke Panuthos
#Nope! #ByeBitch!
Pedro E. Frota
Douchebag ! Hope they do not give it back to him !
Will Glitzern
I’m really proud of the city for getting rid of him. He deserved it.
Josh Shreves
discrimination is illegal
Atldeuce
“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.”
Ironic, since the GLBT citizens of GA are not provided the same benefits. There is no protection against GLBT discrimination in GA or many other states. He could fire any of his employees for being gay. Reap what you sew, dufus.
Matt Evans
Ummmm, NO!
Scarlett Lee
No thanks ex Chief.
Giancarlo85
I would tell this douchebag… wrong. You are a public official and you are meant to serve ALL Americans. Not just ones you think you should serve. He was fired rightfully. I am surprised the gay republicans haven’t marched out of the darkness to defend this loser.
Shawn Lewis
Nope
Ken Gagne
no way. your vile
Bob Kellerman
Pardon me if I am not in the mood to hear another “Gays are bigoted” rant from a Black Gay person today
Robert Castaneda
Let’s get this fine gentleman a job…at McDonald’s lol
darian
Of course he wants his job back. I’d suggest praying for it to happen seeing that’s how he lost it in the first place.
BlueDude
Again with the “Faith” Bullsh*t! None of these dumbf*cks even know what that means. Get a job with one of your bigot groups!
David Wayne Neal
Homosexuals are only as vile as the religion is that’s used to justify thinking such a thing about other Human beings. Isn’t it fascinating that if religious supremacists get treated in the exact same prejudiced manner and with the exact same measures concerning the very same religion which is used to slander and assassinate the characters of all gays everywhere,then suddenly they are the victims of persecution and intolerance? It’s funny when the entire basis for their religious beliefs is built on an unfettered used of impunity,intolerance and persecution BECAUSE of their faith,yet they object to being judged equally and from a position that is ABOUT their very same religious “values” that lead them to condemn all gays everywhere.Lots of ‘Do as I say,not as I do’ as a “religious liberty” from these folks.
Ra Hill
All I would be able to say is Fuuch YOU!!! Hypocritical Douche Bag!!!
1EqualityUSA
Go get a job with NOM…oh, obsolete?
Terry Minton
Sorry, Kelvin. You’re just a little too — what’s the word? — vile.
Kelly Mahon
He’s on th DL
Jory Adamson
Bill Hohn
Hypocrisy at its finest. Never have so many shot their mouths off in a gay panic. This man is not Christian
Mark Pointon
Paul Matwiow
Homophobia is vile.
Jim Fu Raskey
Nope he’s vile not to mention a government employee can he be trusted to do his job? There plenty of things I don’t like but I keep my opinions to myself especial on work time.
1EqualityUSA
Would this fire chief let a rainbow flag clad house burn a little while before dousing it with water?… Stop at all the stop signs, twice? Drive Code… one and a half? He has no place in his role with the kind of vitriol shown to our community.
jason smeds
If somebody called him a vile black man, how would he like it? It’s amazing how some black people are as prejudiced towards gays as white bigots are to blacks.
TO
I would be shocked if his lawsuit has legs and he reeks of desperation and opportunism. When you google what happened at the time and per this article here as well, he was dismissed for publishing a book without permission. All of the city’s top officers and spokes people are obligated under contract to not publish books, write an article in the local paper, etc, without approval from city hall. Plus, when they called this into question, he was very uncooperative and began to speak publicly about it, release statements, etc. He basically gave them no choice and almost helped them fire him. He clearly didn’t read his own contract, city employee handbook, etc. It looks like he’s just making more about the one page of this book where he talks about homosexuality, which has always been a part of this story, to gain support for his cause.
Gary Shephard
If he DID get his job back, would the fire department only fight heterosexual fires, or would they fight all fires equally?
Rebecca Poskitt
Oh for the love of…again, you have freedom of speech, but not freedom from the consequences of that speech. Moron.
mikelphx
No. I am sure Fox News needs another token. Go there…
Blackceo
@Cesar Fortun:
Really?!!!!! You’re no better than the man this article is talking about. I love how some in the gay community think its a horror to be homophobic but have no problem displaying racism. You can take some seats too and I’d love to see you call a Black man a gorilla to his face so he can whoop your fucking ass.
@OrchidIslander:
Agree and not surprised you are the only one to call him out on that. You must be new to this site.
As for the former Atlanta Fire Chief…he can take a stadium of seats!!!!!! You are in Atlanta man….it’s like a Black Gay Mecca.
1EqualityUSA
Sometimes countering inane comments gives more credence to the authors than they’re worth. The above comment, to which OrchidIslander and Blackceo are referring, fit that category. Cesar Fortun harmed himself by disparaging the bigoted Fire chief in this manner. I’ll never read Cesar Fortun’s comments again without having this enclave into his mind tint his words. He cannot undo his words. He may apologize, and some may even accept his apology, however, his words are in our memory banks. That’s the power of words.