Palazzo: Army labeling Christian organizations as hate groups an isolated error
Tuesday, Mississippi Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-4), issued a response to reports of a briefing at Camp Shelby, MS mislabeling Christian organizations as hate groups.
“When I first found out about this misinformation, I was absolutely infuriated. In my 25 years of military service in the Marine Reserves and the Army National Guard, I have never seen anything like this. After speaking with Army officials, I was relieved to find that it was an isolated incident brought on by faulty research and bad information by one individual. The U.S. Army has assured me that the information presented, in no way, represents Army policy or doctrine. This error has been corrected and all present at the briefing have been made aware of the error.”
Several dozen U.S. Army active duty and reserve troops were told last week that the American Family Association, a well-respected Christian ministry founded by Mississippian, Pastor Donald E. Wildmon, should be classified as a domestic hate group because the group advocates for traditional conservative values. The briefing was held at the Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center near Hattiesburg, MS, which is in Congressman Palazzo’s Congressional District. Congressman Palazzo has been working directly with American Family Association and its president, Tim Wildmon, to ensure this mislabeling is cleared and fully addressed by the Army.
WDAM
10/15/13
Magnolia Tribune
