Shadia McDermott of TLC's "All American Muslim." Tattoos, formerly Catholic husband, mini skirt and country music CDs not pictured here.
If you thought “Toddlers and Tiaras” was riveting commentary about the construction of normative values in American society, you should totally watch “All American Muslim.”
Or maybe not.
Honestly, I just really felt like writing a sentence where the words “toddlers,” “tiaras,” “American,” “Muslim” and “normative” could all be used together. I’m not going to lie, whether or not the words made a viable point when used together was secondary in concern.
But seriously, folks, TLC aired its first installment in an eight part series that documents the lives of Lebanese American Muslims living in Dearborn, Michigan, a city that happens to have the highest concentration of Muslims outside of the Middle East as well as the largest mosque in the United States.
It’s like Muslim Disney World. Without the fairies. And I’m not just talking about Tinkerbell. Ba-dum-bump.
Aside: Who else just thought, I could really go for some falafel right now. I bet they have good falafel in Dearborn.
Apparently, I am making my mark on these here Internets because I got to watch the show before it even aired!
Yes!
I’ve seen it!
And not just one episode… but TWO!
It’s good to be da’ token.
So how was it?
Well. It was good. But also annoying.
I wrote on article on BlogHer about it. You should read it.
An All American Muslim Reacts to TLC’s “All American Muslim”
See what I did there? Made you look.
I was just reading about Dearborn, MI the other day. I know that they have the largest mosque in the US, and the largest population of Arab-Americans. But I thought the largest percentage of that group are Lebanese Christians.
I always thought, maybe assumed, that Brooklyn had the largest population of practicing Muslims in the US. Then again, the first mosque in this country was built someplace out in the Midwest (or so I’ve read), so it’s always dangerous to assume.
Now off to read your review on the other site.
I’m just quoting the TV show… and obviously everything you see on TV is true.
I find it interesting that they chose to focus solely on the Arab muslim community – Dearborn is probably the most homogenous muslim community located in the US. Our experiences elsewhere are much more diverse, eclectic and haphazard. By default, this seems like it could be kind of like a Cosby show for Muslim reality tv – a bubble capturing a self-sustaining Utopian community – one that, because of shear numbers, doesn’t have to interact with the ‘mainstream.’ I’d be much more interested in seeing vignettes of muslims across America and how they interact within and outside their religious communities. But then again, I don’t have cable, so I’m going off of what you described, and what I know of Dearborn.
Tariq and I discussed that we’d like to see a similar show. In the end, at least it’s something, I guess. I don’t think we’re the target audience of the show, you know? Then again, I worry that the target audience of this show is probably one that’s more prone to making broad assumptions in the first place.
Well I tried to comment there, but I was required to sign up with Blogher, and, um… no.
Anyway, loved the article – I’m gonna make an effort to watch the show this week. Sounds… interesting.
Okay, having to sign up to make a comment? Lame. I appreciate your reading it, though. XO
Did you see their Fox New interview? I thought it went well, with the exception of the one in the Hijab saying something along the lines of “we choose to follow the rules the way we want, and we’ll all be judged accordingly”. That last bit kind of rubbed me the wrong way. In fact, it came off really pretentious…I feel like what she was really saying was “Its okay if the woman to the left of me doesn’t wear a hijab and owns a nightclub…I know I’m going to heaven and she’s going to hell”. Perhaps I’m misinterpreting her subtly…or maybe I’m right (I really want to be right). I’m not really interested in her story anyway as I am with the other families.
First, FOX news, EW. No, I didn’t watch the interview because my mind feels like it’s contracting leprosy if I watch that station for more than 5 mins. I can totally see what you mean about the woman with the hijab I have felt that way before, too. I *will* say, though, that I said that all the time (even before I wore a hijab) and my intention was always saying it as a nice way to tell people to quite being so black and white and self righteous about their choices. Now that I wear a hijab, I still mean it that way. I wonder, though, would someone assume because I’m wearing the hijab that I mean it in a “she’s going to hell” way?
Probably not…for one you can actually articulate why you wear a Hijab without sounding pretentious. The thing is, she does come off as black and white (and that has nothing to do with the Hijab and what it symbolizes). When this women talks about being “open” to all kinds of Muslims my BS meter goes through the roof. I don’t think she means it. Then again, I’m just going off of an interview on Fox News…so that doesn’t count for much.
How surprised would people be if they were ever introduced to an Arab who was an atheist? I know 2. Surprise and… um… surprise. Yeah I can’t see how to get around this hijab fixation you write about at Blogher. It’s typical to me that what seems to be being done here (I say seems because I haven’t seen it and, because of my work, probably won’t get the chance) is the dumbing down of the subject for the benefit of dumb observers. If we went and got into more detail about the fact that people from a Muslim background should never be viewed as part of a monolith we probably need to concision of PBS,which dumb observers won’t watch. I sound like a snob, because I am one.
As well-intentioned as the show may be, nothing replaces experience actual exposure to people in a face to face context. This is where you get a sense of a better truth. I would give the example of Hatem, the Palestinian-American (naturalized) who works at our shop. It’s amazing to me that when he tells his story about how his family was evicted without compensation from the home he grew up in and was in his family for generations, 100% of the guys are on his side about how that pretty much sucked. But if you asked any of the “Anglos” so disposed to feel empathy for his situation about Israel’s past policies they will probably, to a man, say we have to help “our only friend” in the Middle East no matter what. And so it goes.
If, however, this show serves to counteract the knee jerk jerks who equate Muslim with Terrorist and Mosques with Terrorist HQs then it will have served some purpose. I suppose we have to accept small steps at first. Then again some people enjoy being obtuse. So there is that…
THE concision, not “to concision”… what a doofus this comment processor is… lol…
This definitely is in line with my own reaction: if the intention is to educate, the show is a starting point and nothing is a substitute for simply getting to know someone. On the point of Israel, yes, sometimes I feel like people assume that my support of a two state solution and critical approach to the Israeli government stems from the fact that I’m Muslim. On the other side of it, a lot of my Muslim friends (and family) roll their eyes and call me a sympathizer when I argue that modern day Israeli citizens aren’t always to blame by the injustices perpetrated by present and past governments and that they don’t deserve the violent circumstances that are being created in the quest for Palestinian statehood. Muslims in my life assume that my sympathy for the Israelis stems from my being born American.
In the end, what both of these groups miss is that I know individuals who have been affected directly by the conflict. I’ve looked in their eyes, seen their humanity and have been stirred to compassion. An affinity or identity doesn’t stand a chance in the face of that kind of power. My being Muslim or American is secondary entirely to my perspective on this issue… my being a thoughtful human being is what dictates my opinions.
Being Canadian, I cannot really comment on what being ‘All American” is, although indeed, we’re ‘American’ as well. First of all, to be clear, I’m not one of those American bashing Canadians. In fact, my great-great grandparents were immigrants-some landing at Ellis Island,and some in Boston, and my gramma was born in a little soddy in North Dakota. Having said that; I think a lot of us Canadians are naive; I know I am, and look at life less seriously. For example, I love the CBC program ‘Little Mosque on the Prairie’, resulting in a lighthearted attitude about Canadians from different cultures.
…)
I agree with you about Fox News, and watch only few minutes occasionally while mostly watching CNN. Fox is pretty toxic, but I won’t go into that.
But, what I saw today gave me a heavy heart. Watching Cain’s face during the pause he took while trying to answer a question, it’s clear he’s being DESTROYED! The whole process of presidential elections destroys the candidates in one way or another. If they win, they’re not staying true to their integrity; if they lose it’s because their character is assasinated.
Not that I agree with anything Cain may have done, I abhor it, along with despise how disgusting John Edwards was. Or, John Kennedy. We could go on and on. But, it’s heart rending to see mostly decent people becoming bottom feeders to win elections! Why does America waste so much time on elections? Ours lasts just a few weeks, from start to finish, then on to doing the work of government. (lets not go into results
Not that it’s my business, but if a voter I’d lean more Democrat; The GOP seem much more selfish than any other political party, Canadian or American. It’s just that, the expression on Herman Cain’s face seemed to sum up the results of American politics, and I found it heart rending. Is that part of being ‘All American’?
I watched the first episode (3/4 of it, and saved the rest) and I was left feeling confused about its actual purpose. I felt like they were spending a lot of time sitting on those Bravo Andy couches trying to convince each other that their was of being Muslim was way awesomer.
I’m going to keep watching it. I bet I “get it” eventually.
In case folks are wondering…yes, it is awesome to live with da’ token…Muslim!