Like most American Muslims, [Fawaz] Ismail, who is a buff and hale 50, is not particularly religious. He likes to listen to tapes of Koranic chants at night to relax. But in the past few years, he has struggled with the reality that some Americans take one look at him and think, \u201cHmm, is he really one of us?\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
\u201cI pay my taxes. I love this country. You want to talk about patriotic? I am the definition,\u201d\u009d says Ismail, who became an American citizen as a teenager. \u201cI sell the best flags, made in the United States, not in China like a lot of stores sell. I\u2019m all about moderation \u201d\u201d man, I like Fleetwood Mac.\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n
Late at night, Ismail has a cup of chamomile tea with anise seed to try to get to sleep. It can be a struggle, just as it is for many of his Muslim friends.<\/p>\n