Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football plot
Their names are Hassan, Mohamed, Baquer, Bilal and Ali, and they were born and raised in Dearborn, Michigan, a city with a large Arab-American community. They drink Coke, eat pizza, sing the Star-Spangled Banner and play American football. Americans, in other words, with an ancestor who came from afar, just like almost every compatriot. And yet there is a difference, because in the post 9/11 era attitudes towards Muslims have changed, ranging from worded fear to rabid xenophobia. There are two large high schools in Dearborn: Dearborn High and Fordson. Every year their football teams play a fraught game against each other.