Home improvement retail giant Lowe’s has come under fire after removing its advertisement from TLC’s reality show, All-American Muslim. The Florida Family Association is claiming responsibility for persuading Lowe’s to make the decision. The conservative group said the show is “propaganda that riskily hides the Islamic agenda’s clear and present danger to American liberties and traditional values.”

“These are our everyday lives. There is no propaganda behind it,” cast member Nina Bazzy said.

Cast members say they would be living their lives no differently if cameras were not on them. 

“I just don’t understand how this could be propaganda when we’re living our lives,” said Fouad Zaban, a football coach at Fordson High School who’s filmed on the show. 

A letter sent from Lowe’s to the Florida Family Association reads: “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.”

The National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC) which is comprised of 22 different Arab American non-profits announced that its members will no longer accept donations from Lowe’s. In the past some members have accepted donations from Lowe’s, but say they won’t moving forward. 

On Dec. 14 a letter was sent to the CEO of Lowe’s and signed by 32 members of congress. The letter urged the CEO to reconsider the decision. “I am concerned with Lowe’s decision to pull advertising on a show that depicts the lives of five Metro Detroit Muslim-American families,” said U.S. Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) “This action is unacceptable and it appears the decision was made out of intolerance for Muslims. Metro Detroit is home to one of the largest Muslim communities in United States and I’m proud of our diverse culture.”

“Lowe’s reaction gives credence to these anti-Muslim sentiments and contributes to a negative atmosphere of intolerance towards minority communities and may incite hate crimes and related violence,” the Asian American Center for Advocating Justice said in a statement. 

Hip hop mogul Russell Simmons has been vocal in expressing dismay in Lowe’s decision.  Simmons has attempted to advertise his own prepaid Visa card on the program, only to learn there’s no advertising space available.   

Many believe that the eight-part series, which airs every Sunday, helps break down the hate and misconceptions surrounding Islam. It offers an intimate portrayal of members of the Muslim community-much needed during an era where Islam is highly misunderstood.  

Democratic State Sen. Ted W. Lieu of California’s 28th district also issued a letter to Lowe’s CEO calling on the company to repeal its action. 

 “Lowe’s action is profoundly ignorant. Islam is a peaceful religion practiced by over 1.5 billion people, including Americans across our great nation and Lowe’s own employees,” Lieu said. He also stated that if Lowe’s continues “its religious bigotry” he would encourage boycotts against the popular store and look into legislative remedies.  

“Lowe’s religious discrimination is the equivalent of a company asserting that it is pulling advertising from the Christian Broadcast Network’s 700 Club because the program somehow ‘riskily hides’ the agenda of Christian radicalized groups such as Aryan Nation,” Lieu said. 

A petition against Lowe’s decision has received thousands of signatures. The company didn’t return calls as of press time to respond to the action. 

Following heavy condemnation, Lowe’s issued this statement on its Facebook page: “It appears that we managed to step into a hotly contested debate with strong views from virtually every angle and perspective – social, political and otherwise – and we’ve managed to make some people very unhappy. We are sincerely sorry…We strongly support and respect the right of our customers, the community at large, and our employees to have different views. If we have made anyone question that commitment, we apologize.”

American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) Legal Director Abed Ayoub said, “The Muslim-American community has nearly $200 billion dollars in spending power — one of the highest totals for any minority group in the United States. At a time when many corporations are courting the American-Muslim market, it makes absolutely no sense at all that any corporation, including Lowe’s — that have multiple locations in metropolitan areas with high Arab and Muslim American populations — would take such action.”

Speaking on the incident Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said, “I am disappointed that a company like Lowe’s would fall prey to the intolerance and fundamentally un-American values preached by a small, but vocal minority.”

While the show has attracted criticism, cast members say the positive reaction overwhelmingly outnumbers the negative feedback. 

Mike Jaafar, a Wayne County deputy sheriff on the show said he’s received support from Jewish and Christian Americans. Suehaila Amen, an active community member who’s also filmed in the show said she’s been stopped by people since the show aired and asked for a hug. “People have been extraordinarily supportive…It’s been an absolutely amazing experience,” Amen said.  

She says the show has promoted a strong dialogue about American Muslims in metro Detroit. 

“There’s more good people than bad,” Jaafar said.