US store pulls ads, takes heat

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT WASHINGTON - Lowe's, a US home improvement store, is facing a backlash for pulling its ads from All American Muslim, a cable TV show that tracks the lives of five Muslim families in Dearborn, Michigan, following protests from an evangelical Christian group, according to media reports. The ads were withdrawn after a conservative group known as the Florida Family Association complained, saying the programme was "propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values." Muslims in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb that is home to one of the largest concentrations of Americans of Arab descent in the country, called the move involving the show on the TLC network an insult. "I'm saddened that any place of business would succumb to bigots and people trying to perpetuate their negative views on an entire community," cast member Suehaila Amen, 32, a judicial aide for Dearborn District Court and a community activist, told The Detroit News. In a statement, Lowe's, the retail chain, said it was "sincerely sorry" that it had made some people unhappy over the fracas. "Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this programme became a lightning rod for many of those views," the corporation wrote. "As a result, we did pull our advertising on this programme. We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individuals and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance." California state Senator Ted Lieu, a Democrat, has stepped into the debate, writing to Lowe's Chief Executive Officer Robert Niblock that pulling the advertising was "bigoted, shameful and unAmerican." "The show is about what it's like to be a Muslim in America, and it touches on the discrimination they sometimes face. And that kind of discrimination is exactly what's happening here with Lowe's," Lieu said. The Florida group sent three emails to its members, asking them to petition Lowe's to pull its advertising. Its website was updated to say that "supporters' emails to advertisers make a difference." The apology doesn't go far enough, Lieu said. The senator vowed to look into whether Lowe's violated any California laws and said he would also consider drafting a senate resolution condemning the company's actions. "We want to raise awareness so that consumers will know during this holiday shopping season that Lowe's is engaging in religious discrimination," Lieu said. Besides an apology and reinstatement of the ads, Lieu said he hoped Lowe's would make an outreach to the community about bias and bigotry. Lieu's office said a decision was expected Wednesday or Thursday on whether to proceed with the boycott. Lowe's issued another statement later Sunday, saying company officials are seeking to talk to Lieu about his concerns and clarify the company's position. "We are aware of the senator's comments and have reached out to his office to arrange an opportunity for us to speak with him directly to hear his thoughts," the statement read. Dawud Walid, Michigan director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said his group felt "extreme disappointment" at Lowe's "capitulation to bigotry." Walid said he has heard expressions of anger and calls for a boycott by Muslims but said a key to resolving the Lowe's advertising controversy will be how non-Muslim religious leaders and others react to Lowe's decision. "I will be picking up the phone tomorrow to some of our friends and allies to explain the situation to them," Walid said