Rather than get into all the charges and counter-charges, I thought I'd break down the facts, as I understand them, around the current controversy surrounding the Lowe's home improvement chain.
A recap:
- Lowe's buys ad time on the TLC show "All-American Muslim" featuring five Lebanese-American families.
- Conservative groups, most notably the Florida Family Association, protest the chain's support of a program that "hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."
- Lowe's pulls its ads and offers an explanation that it was stepping back from this "lightning rod" issue.
- Muslims and others who reject Islamophobic tendencies among some in the U.S. protest Lowe's actions via social media and other outlets.
- Lowe's has not reversed its position choosing instead to "respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance."
- "All-American Muslim," a low-rated show even by cable standards, should see a boost in viewers following the controversy.
- TLC's 'All-American Muslim' is propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda - Florida Family Association
- Lowe's Home Improvement - Facebook
- Lowe's faces increasing backlash for pulling ads from 'All-American Muslim' - Detroit Free Press
- Editorial: Lowe's learns high price of appeasing bigoted boycotters - Detroit Free Press
- Lowe's has free speech rights too - Los Angeles Times
- TLC's 'All-American Muslim' could profit from protests - USA Today
- 'All-American Muslim' sells out, despite Lowe's withdrawal - CNN