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Idiot Boxing

Black geeks and all-American Muslims

Detroiter Hajj Flemings and 5 Dearborn families defy stereotypes

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Hajj Flemings (right) preens with CNN's Soledad O'Brien.


Along the way we'll meet a Wayne County sheriff's deputy, a high school football coach and expectant newlyweds, all united by a common religion. Sunday's opening episode features a tattooed wild-child named Shadia whose impending marriage to her Irish Catholic boyfriend is dependent upon his converting to Islam. There's also a curvaceous event planner named Nina who's more likely to wear hot pants than Hijab, trying to sell friends and family on the idea of her opening a nightclub. 

The cultural explanations may seem a bit too simplistic to those of us living here, but they're intercut with scenes of the principal players sitting around a red sofa engaged in open, freewheeling discussions, a nice touch. Anything that can help reduce the level of ignorance about Arab Americans and Islam and replace it with information is more than a nice touch. Allah be praised.

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