I have not been shy in my criticism of Muslim extremists who hate Israel and equally loathe the United States. Nor have I been reluctant to condemn Islamism: Sharia law is totalitarian. Furthermore, I am not opposed to boycotting sponsors of TV shows that bash Catholicism (I have led such initiatives). But count me out when it comes to the Florida Family Association’s protest of the TLC show, “All American Muslim.” Lowe’s made a mistake when it bowed to the protest and pulled its ads from the show.
“All American Muslim” is a show about five Muslim families from Dearborn, Michigan. Does it put a positive spin on them? One would hope so. After all, what kind of appetite would it be feeding if it did the reverse? To say it should show “both sides” is equally unpersuasive: a reality TV show is not a documentary. If the show attempted to promote a positive image of Islamists, that would be a different story entirely.
The Florida Family Association says “99.9 percent of Muslims agree with the principles of Sharia law.” The figure is certainly inflated worldwide, and it is grossly overstated for American Muslims. Just as I condemn those who love to depict Catholic priests as molesters, I condemn those who love to depict American Muslims as terrorists.
Lowe’s has no record of being unfair to any segment of the population, which is to its credit. It should not take the bait and flex its muscles with those who want to paint Muslims with a broad and dirty brush. It is hardly too late to pivot.
