This is a really amazing editorial from the New York Times.

Kelvin Cochran, the Fire Chief of Atlanta, published a book (with permission from the Ethics Office for the City of Atlanta), in which he expressed his Christian faith on sex, marriage, and life. For that, the New York Times says he included “virulent anti-gay views.”

Actually, Cochran endorsed orthodox Christian views.

He was fired more than a year after the book came out. A retiring lesbian fire captain suddenly felt brave enough to complain. The Mayor, needed urban, white liberals for his next election threw the Fire Chief under the bus.

The New York Times is okay with that. According to the Times, “It should not matter that the investigation found no evidence that Mr. Cochran had mistreated gays or lesbians. His position as a high-level public servant makes his remarks especially problematic, and requires that he be held to a different standard.”

Yes. A leader is not allowed to take positions that might offend. Particularly, a leader cannot offend gays by having public Christian views.

It does not matter that there is no evidence of discrimination. His thoughts preclude him from his job.