Lowe's pulls ads from 'All-American Muslim'

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The Lowe's Home Improvement chain has pulled its ads from a new reality TV show called "All-American Muslim." The move has sparked criticism and calls for a boycott against the chain.

TLC's "All-American Muslim" premiered last month. It follows the lives of five families and deals with the discriminations they encounter as Muslims in Dearborn, Mich.

Lowe's decided to pull its advertising this weekend after a conservative group complained.

The Florida Family Association contacted Lowes, saying "TLC's 'All-American Muslim' is propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda's clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values."

Sen. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) called Lowes' move "bigoted, shameful and un-American." He sent a letter to Lowe's Chief Executive Officer Robert A. Niblock, calling on the company to apologize to all Americans who are Muslim. He said he's willing to call for a boycott if the company doesn't remedy the situation.

"They basically have accepted the Florida Family Association's viewpoint that Muslims are dangerous, and that is profoundly ignorant," said Lieu.

Lowe's issued a statement and apologized for "having managed to make some people very unhappy."

"Individuals and groups have strong political and societal views on this topic, and this program became a lightning rod for many of those views," the company said. "As a result we did pull our advertising on this program. We believe it is best to respectfully defer to communities, individual and groups to discuss and consider such issues of importance."

The North Carolina-based company did not say whether it would reinstate advertising on the show.

The Florida Family Association contacted dozens of advertisers to voice its concern, but many of those companies have not pulled their ads from the show.

"We're not at war with Islam. It is a peaceful religion. The fact that some people may do bad things in the name of whatever religion it is doesn't make that religion somehow bad," said Lieu.

Lowe's said company officials are arranging to talk to Lieu about his concerns and clarify the company's position.

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