Threaten a boycott, boost the ratings

It’s a lesson that never gets learned: The best way to generate more exposure for speech is to try to suppress it. People who would never have given an obscure reality show a second look will tune in to “All-American Muslim,” now that the Florida Family Association has pressured the Lowe’s chain to withdraw its advertising.

The group’s executive director, interviewed by CNN’s John King, did his cause no credit by first pronouncing the word “imam” as “eye-mom.” Or by allowing himself to be interviewed in close conjunction with Rep. Keith Ellison, D-Minn., who did a credible of job of arguing his simple point: Muslims are just regular people. What strange times we live in, that making such a case seems necessary.