The conservative Christian group that’s claiming responsibility for home improvement chain Lowe’s pulling their ads from the reality show "All American Muslim" says there are 64 other companies that have cancelled their ad buys for the show as a result of their e-mail campaign.
McDonalds, Amazon and Bank of America are among the companies the Florida Family Association (FFA) says they’ve targeted to get their commercials off the reality tv show "All American Muslim." Lowe’s was the first to make headlines because they’re the only company to confirm they canceled ad buys as a result of the the conservative group’s campaign.
"While we continue to advertise on various cable networks, including TLC, there are certain programs that do not meet Lowe’s advertising guidelines, including the show you brought to our attention. Lowe’s will no longer be advertising on that program" a representative for Lowe’s wrote in a statement.
"The show profiles only Muslims that appear to be ordinary folks while excluding many Islamic believers whose agenda poses a clear and present danger to liberties and traditional values that the majority of Americans cherish," read one of FFA’s emails to it’s members that urged them to contact dozens of companies and ask them to "discontinue advertising on this show."
According to the Muslim Public Affairs Council, FFA’s campaign against "All-American Muslim" stems from the work of two "infamous Islamophobes" writers Robert Spencer, author of "The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran," and Pamela Geller, author of "Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance."
"The main danger of All-American Muslim is that it’s misleading," wrote Geller in an article reprinted by FFA. "The Muslims portrayed in the show are free to choose their path. That is the beauty of living in a free society. But so many aren’t. … Who speaks for Jessica Mokdad, who lived not far from where this show is taping, in Dearborn, Michigan? Mokdad was honor murdered by her stepfather, Rahim Alfetlawi, for ‘not following Islam.’"
There are, however, some sane voices jumping into this mind-boggling debate.
"Lowe’s should be ashamed for succumbing to this type of bigotry," said Deana Nassar, Muslim Public Affairs Council’s Hollywood Liaison on the group’s website. "The show is an important effort to portray the everyday lives of a group of normal, mainstream Muslim Americans. Caving into the fear campaign initiated by thinly veiled hate groups sends the wrong message at the wrong time."
Mia Farrow and Russell Simmons have called for a boycott of Lowe’s on Twitter, with Simmons promising to "sic every civil rights agency on (Lowe’s) until they straighten this out." A representative for Simmons also confirmed to the Hollywood Reporter that he will buy any remaining ad space on the show to promote the RushCard, a prepaid Visa credit card.
Targets of the FFA also have included Degrassi, Glenn Martin DDS, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Girls Next Door and E! True Hollywood Story: Jenna Jameson. In a newsletter sent to it’s members they promised to monitor "MTV’s hedonistic shows, LOGO Channel’s explicitly homosexual programs and E! Channel’s pornographic Playboy shows."