Democrats Say Anti-Mosque DVD Passed Out By GOP Counterpart Created Hostile Workplace

Democrats in the state House of Representatives have filed a complaint against one of their Republican counterparts, whom they accuse of fostering a hostile environment by distributing a video that claims to expose the country’s mosques as “war factories.”

The complaint alleges state Rep. Susan Lynn, R-Mt. Juliet, broke state government work rules by placing copies of the DVD in the mailboxes of every legislator.

While it’s common for lawmakers to pass out things like DVDs — including items that can be offensive to a degree — state Rep. Johnnie Turner says this time Lynn crossed over the line.

“It portrayed all Muslims as terrorists and extremists,” says Turner, D-Memphis. “All of our Muslim brothers and sisters, who are just here as American citizens as I am, should be outraged.”

Democrats say they filed the complaint on behalf of Muslims who work at the Capitol. Though no legislators are Muslims, they say it makes sense for lawmakers to take the lead because they don’t have to fear retribution.

They want House Speaker Beth Harwell to look into the matter and train lawmakers on sensitivity toward people of other faiths. They also say Lynn should apologize.

Lynn responds the complaint is a political ploy. She says she passed the video out as a favor to its producer, a one-time minister from Nashville by the name of Louie E. Johnston Jr. who now runs an online group called Patriot Pastors.

Lynn says she followed the House’s rules for distributing materials to lawmakers on other people’s behalf. Those rules include labeling the DVD as coming from her office and noting that it was being distributed as a courtesy to someone else.

Lynn says she watched the video beforehand but didn’t pay it particularly close attention.

“No malice or nothing intended. I am not responsible for the content. I didn’t even think about the content. We get so busy here. You’re just like so busy, you become task-oriented.”

Lynn says that she’s sorry the videos offended Turner and her colleagues. But, she adds, they could’ve just thrown the video out.