Editorial mistaken

“Group’s methods worthy of criticism from Lankford” (Our Views, Aug. 4) falsely accuses the Southern Poverty Law Center of using “undefined criteria” to “tar[s] the reputation of mainstream organizations.” As clearly stated on our website, we define a hate group as one that has “beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics.” In addition, it is simply untrue that we labeled the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) as a hate group because it opposes same-sex marriage. If that were true, many other groups would join ADF on the list.

We designated ADF because the group and its leaders regularly demonize the LGBT community with name-calling and known falsehoods, such as the thoroughly debunked myth that homosexuality is “intrinsically linked” to pedophilia, as the group’s longtime former president said.

The Oklahoman believes ADF is “mainstream.” Is it mainstream to support the criminalization of gay sex? Is it mainstream to support mandatory sterilization for transgender people who want to change their name or gender on their birth certificate, as the organization recently did in Europe? Is it mainstream to support the denial of services to the LGBT community?

Groups like ADF may no longer be on fringes of society. But that makes it even more important that they be called out for their bigotry — because it means they have a bigger megaphone to spread their divisive, anti-democratic message.

Heidi Beirich, Montgomery, Ala. Beirich is intelligence project director for the Southern Poverty Law Center.