Atlanta Fire Chief suspended for writing a book about his Christian beliefs

Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran, who is also a Baptist deacon, recently published a book entitled Who Told You You Were Naked?

In this book he apparently talks about sexual promiscuity, homosexuality, and sex outside of marriage. Needless to say, because of his personal belief on homosexuality the LBGT community was outraged and because of this outrage he was suspended without pay for one month and ordered to undergo “sensitivity training.”

Here is what Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed had to say about this decision:

“I was surprised and disappointed to learn of this book on Friday,” Reed said on Monday afternoon. “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.”

This is not a topic that I delve into very often because as a social libertarian I do not think that it is any of my business what consenting adults do in their bedrooms, and this is not a topic I am particularly comfortable writing about, but this story bothers me and so I feel compelled to write about it.

It has not been reported anywhere that Kelvin Cochran has ever discriminated against anyone as it pertains to his position as Fire Chief, he simply wrote a book about what his personal beliefs are and the last time I checked this was a right which is protected under the Constitution. If it ever comes to light that he has discriminated against any person in his capacity as Fire Chief I would be right there with Kasim Reed and his suspension would be justified.

Kelvin Cochran did not single out gay people in this book, from what I have read he included them in a list of behaviors which Christians believe are immoral. This should not be news to Kasim Reed for as a Baptist deacon his position on these issues had to be known, the problem appears to be that he did not keep his opinions to himself.

“When you’re a city employee, and [your] thoughts, beliefs and opinions are different from the city’s, you have to check them at the door.”

Again, when it comes to doing his job there is no proof at this point that he has not “checked his opinions at the door” and that is not what led Kasim Reed to suspend Kelvin Cochran.

He was suspended for going public with his Christian beliefs and if you ask me those that would like to see him either suspended or fired simply for expressing his opinions are the ones who truly need to undergo “sensitivity training” for, once again, the liberal left has proven that when it come to “celebrating diversity” they have no problem in denying Christians their First Amendment rights. When it come to Christianity the liberal left has no interest in celebrating the diversity of ideals.

What Kelvin Cochran wrote was not politically correct and that is where he ran into trouble, but political correctness is nothing more than intellectual fascism. The opposition must be silenced at all costs…the revolution will be complete when the language is perfect.