All-American Muslim, All-About Asra Edition

Last updated on: December 20, 2011 at 2:00 am by Lara Alamad

All-American Muslim, All-About Asra Edition 2011-12-18T18:03:42-04:00 Lara Alamad

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

When an act of bigotry or prejudice occurs, it is often accompanied by an insidious denial that an act of bigotry is even occurring.

You would think that cancelling advertising during the reality television show All-American Muslim because showing Muslims as ordinary people apparently equals doom to the US – as the company Lowe’s (and others) did – could not be seen as anything other than horribly Islamophobic.

Some of the scary characters from All-American Muslim.

Wrong! Come with me, to a place where reason and facts are lost in a swirl of self-promotion, self-aggrandisement, and truly wretched amounts of internalised Islamophobia. In case you hadn’t already guessed, Asra Nomani has shared her insights with us and what a shallow, murky puddle it is.

Let’s start with the title: “All-American Muslim: Why Advertisers Are Right to Boycott,” and go straight to Nomani’s second paragraph to see her reasoning:

“Forget political correctness. Lowe’s, the national chain, did the right thing in pulling its advertising from the series. The company said it killed advertising from the show because it had become too controversial, but there is another legitimate reason the company could have given for yanking its advertising: it’s bad TV.”

Firstly, to dismiss the reasons behind Lowes’ cancellation as avoiding controversy, while glossing over the hate actual campaign waged by the Islamophobia network against the show, is highly disingenuous. Note the words “another legitimate reason [emphasis mine],” implying that to Nomani, Lowe’s actions were already perfectly legitimate. Not only that, she goes on to state that she will now purchase from Lowes in the future “As an American Muslim.”

Then she talks about the show being “bad”, so companies should cancel advertising anyway. A quick glance at the TLC wiki page shows that this is the channel responsible for such high quality programming as “Toddlers and Tiaras”, a show hideous on many levels, yet not subject to any boycotting campaign. So the “quality” issue a misnomer. There’s also the more important concern that there are groups that find programmes with positive (or even just normal) portrayals of Muslims so abhorrent that they will launch highly organised campaigns to blot them out. But no, these concerns are just a “straw man” to Nomani.

Now, those familiar with Nomani’s oeuvre might be wondering, “Where is the part where she talks about how all Muslims are a bunch of extremists and she’s the only Muslim who is enlightened and modern and swishy? She always writes about that.”

Indeed she does, and this article is no exception as she gleefully cherry picks anything in the show disagreeable to her as “a Muslim seeking some sort of challenge to conventional, traditional, old-school Islamic interpretation reminiscent of the Dark Ages.” Again, she ignores that the programme shows a Muslims who with differing types of practice.

Nomani states that Muslims defending the show are just indulging in groupthink and after all, there is “real” Islamophobia out there. However, to her, this Islamophobia is not a big deal anyway, as Muslims are apparently just as powerful at suppressing any criticism of Islam, and thus supposedly stifling debate. Considering that Nomani’s concept of debate involves sucking up to right wing Islamophobes for fun and profit while using a scattershot of tropes from Derailing for Dummies, I’m not sure it is debate she wants, but increased hatred and suspicion of Muslims and a decreased platform for any Muslim (apart from her) to speak against that hate.

Editor’s note: Comment moderation may be slower this week, as I am traveling. I apologise in advance if your comment takes some time to appear. – Krista

When an act of bigotry or prejudice occurs, it is often accompanied by an insidious denial that an act of bigotry is even occurring.

Let’s start with the title: “All-American Muslim: Why Advertisers Are Right to Boycott,” and go straight to Nomani’s second paragraph to see her reasoning:

“Forget political correctness. Lowe’s, the national chain, did the right thing in pulling its advertising from the series. The company said it killed advertising from the show because it had become too controversial, but there is another legitimate reason the company could have given for yanking its advertising: it’s bad TV.”

Television

All-American Muslim

Asra Nomani

Previous Post

December 19, 2011

Muslim Women and Freedom of Choice: Syrian Television vs. Cinema

Next Post

December 21, 2011 Responding to the Goatmilk Debates on Islam and Feminism: Part One

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Advertisements Art/Theater Books/Magazines Cinema Comics/Cartoons Culture/Society Events Fashion Film Friday Links Merchandise/Commodities MMW Announcements MMW Highlights Music/Radio News Photography Politics Profile Ramadan 2012 Ramadan 2013 Ramadan 2014 Ramadan 2015 Roundtable Satire Social Media Sports Technology/Science Television Uncategorized Video Web

Select a Month November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Deborah was a prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory over the Canaanites.

Select your answer to see how you score.

FALSE TRUE