A Republican Tennessee lawmaker introduced a bill this month that would ask the state attorney general to report any existing “no-go zones” and work to eliminate them, The Tennessean reported.
State Rep. Susan Lynn’s bill does not specifically mention Muslims, but may allude to the non-existent Muslim “no-go zones” referenced on Fox News and by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) following the January terrorist attacks in Paris.
The legislation defines a “no-go zone” as a “a contiguous geographical area consisting of public space or privately owned public space where community organizing efforts systematically intimidate or exclude the general public or public workers from entering or being present within the area.”
Lynn insisted that the bill does not target a specific religious group.
“You might find it with gang activity, you might find it with organized crime, and of course we have heard that there were some places where it is happening with certain religious groups,” she told The Tennessean.
According to The Tennessean, Lynn did not offer any evidence that these areas exist.
“There are some people who claim that there are some areas of Tennessee where they feel this is happening. And as you know, when there’s activity happening where people sort of feel intimidated, there’s not exactly a sign up on the wall,” she said. “But it’s just an overall feeling of intimidation.”
Lynn said that state Sen. Bill Ketron, who sponsored the Senate version of the bill, “saw it with his own eyes” during a visit to Europe.
H/t Right Wing Watch
