Kelvin Cochran, the Atlanta fire chief
who was fired over anti-gay comments, has filed a federal civil
rights lawsuit against Mayor Kasim Reed and the city.
In a self-published 162-page book
titled Who
Told You That You Were Naked, Cochran describes gay people as
“unclean” and homosexuality as a “sexual perversion” similar
to bestiality.
Reed fired Cochran after he served a
30-day suspension without pay.
“This is about judgment,” Reed said
in explaining his decision. “This is not about religious freedom.
This is not about free speech. Judgment is the basis of the
problem.”
Reed said that the chief did not
properly consult city officials before publishing his book, a claim
that Cochran denies. The mayor also said that Cochran had opened
Atlanta to possible discrimination lawsuits.
Cochran claims in the lawsuit that he
was fired last month because of his faith. He is represented in the
legal action by the Christian conservative legal group Alliance
Defending Freedom (ADF).
(Related: Anti-gay
Kelvin Cochran calls firing “God-induced suffering”; Compares
himself to Jesus.)