Tony Perkins, president of the Family
Research Council (FRC), on Tuesday likened the firing of Kelvin Cochran
over anti-gay comments to the gun attack on Charlie Hebdo that left
12 dead.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed cited “lack
of judgment” in firing the city's fire chief.
Cochran described gay people as
“unclean” in a self-published book titled Who
Told You That You Were Naked that he distributed to
co-workers, though the exact number is unknown.
(Related: Atlanta
Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran fired over anti-gay statements.)
According to The
GA Voice, as many as 200 people attended a rally Tuesday
organized by the Georgia Baptist Convention where speakers called for
Cochran's reinstatement.
“Make no mistake about it,” Perkins
said. “Last week's violent assault was designed to intimidate and
silence others who would dare exercise that fundamental human right
of the freedom of speech, but whether a journalist in France
satirically writing about religion or a fire chief in Atlanta,
Georgia writing about the sacred teachings of his faith, the
silencing of either is a threat to the freedoms of all.”
Cochran, who spoke last, told the crowd
that Reed's actions sent a message that Atlanta does not welcome
people who “believe the Scripture regarding God's purpose for sex.”
Meanwhile, in a Facebook post, Reed
defended his actions.
“I believe [Cochran's] actions,
decisions, and lack of judgment undermined his ability to effectively
manage a large, diverse workforce,” Reed wrote. “Every single
City of Atlanta employee deserves the certainty that he or she is a
valued member of the team and that fairness and respect guide our
employment decisions.”
“His actions and his statements
during the investigation and his suspension eroded my confidence in
his ability to serve as a member of my senior leadership team,”
Reed added.