Earlier this month dozens of U.S. Army active duty and reserve troops were told in a briefing that the American Family Association should be classified as a

domestic hate group. This is not the first time they and other pro-family groups have been labeled as such because of their traditional family values and

religious beliefs.

If the briefing at Camp Shelby were an isolated incident, it would be easy to ignore. But these pro-family groups have sometimes found themselves listed in

PowerPoint presentations along with the Ku Klux Klan or the Black Panthers.

Imagine the reaction from soldiers who support groups like the American Family Association (AFA). One soldier even asked a news outlet if he might be

punished because he regularly donates to AFA. Others who are not familiar with these groups would just assume they are potentially dangerous groups and

view them with suspicion.

The designation comes from the Southern Poverty Law Center that may have been a credible source in the past, but certainly should not be used today as

a source when it comes to pro-family religious groups. Todd Starnes with Fox News has been able to verify that the Army does use the Southern Poverty Law

Center as a source for military trainings.

The U.S. Army admitted it was wrong to use false information in their training. Their statement said a trainer created the slide portraying AFA as a “hate

group” without Army approval. They went on to say that the Army presentation earlier this month “does not reflect the policy or doctrine” of the Army.

While that is true, Tim Wildmon (president of the American Family Association) hopes that the Army will do more “to end the spreading of these untruths

once and for all.” I certainly hope so. There have been too many of these so-called “isolated incidents.”

The American Family Association is not a hate group but they have been the victim of false statements about their organization and character.