Muslim advocacy group skeptical of 'no-go zone' bill

There's no mention of Islam or Muslims in a new state proposal that would allow the Tennessee Attorney General to break up "no-go zones."

But the charged connotations, and misinformation, associated with that phrase has a local Muslim advocacy group afraid the proposal could incite more anti-Muslim sentiment in Tennessee.

"She's not writing this without targeting anyone," said Paul Galloway, executive director of the advocacy group American Center for Outreach.

"It could be anti-immigrant. It could be anti-Muslim," he said. "It seems to be a combination of both."

Galloway is referencing one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Susan Lynn. The Mt. Juliet Republican proposes defining the concept of a "no-go zone" as "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 said Galloway's statements are inaccurate. She argues her bill doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Muslims. She said banning such zones will combat systemic problems and protect commerce.

"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," Lynn said.

She never specifically mentioned which religious groups, but there has been a recent international fervor over the concept of Muslims allegedly banning people from going to certain areas. Fox News eventually apologized and acknowledged it made factual errors in allowing an on-air interviewee to claim that entire cities, like Birmingham, England, were off limits to anyone who isn't Muslim, as the Washington Post reported.

The report is one of several that include well-known leaders like Louisiana's GOP Gov. Bobby Jindal making allegations of "no-go zones" based on little more than anecdotal evidence. Lynn provided similar justification for her bill. She said she's never experienced anything first hand but argued some believe such zones exist in Tennessee.

"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," Lynn said in a recent interview. "But its just an overall feeling of intimidation."

Lynn said that the senate sponsor of the bill, Sen. Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, had told her he'd visited Europe and "he saw it with his own eyes. He experienced it himself."

Asked about the bill, Ketron said he didn't think the bill targets anyone in particular. Like Lynn, Ketron argued the bill gives definition to a term that doesn't exist in the law right now, but also provides "protection of commerce."

Pointing to Nolensville Pike, an area in Nashville that's home to many immigrants, Galloway said the zones simply don't exist in Tennessee or anywhere else.

"It's not a no-go zone," Galloway said. "It's a very welcoming, come-eat-our-food, celebrate-our-culture zone."

There are already laws that prevent gangs, or anyone else, from harassing people in public spaces. Lynn argued those laws might help prevent one-time events, but they're no use for "a systemic" problem. She said the federal government intervening to force public universities to allow black students to attend during the Civil Rights era is "really the same sort of thing."

"People were prevented from getting an education. Do you call the police for that? Well no, that's not the right mechanism. They had to call the Department of Justice," Lynn said.

Galloway's organization was created after Ketron introduced a bill in 2011 that proposed potentially making it a crime to contribute money to some "Sharia organizations," or organization following components of the Islamic code of Sharia law. That track record, and the buzz associated with the phrase Lynn chose for the bill, make Galloway skeptical the plan's motivation is solely based on creating a framework or protecting business.

"It just adds to a really tense climate where patriotic American Muslims are being targeted by guilt by association by people they have nothing to do with," Galloway said.

The legislation isn't scheduled for discussion in any committee yet.

Reach Dave Boucher at 615-259-8892 and on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1.

Note: This story has been updated to clarify the ramifications of legislation proposed in 2011 if the legislation had become law.