As a woman, a person of African descent, a Muslim and a community member, I am very concerned about the voice of Islam here at Penn State. The arrival of Daniel Pipes, who most Muslims consider to be America's premier Islamophobe, did enough damage to Muslim and non-Muslim relations; the irresponsible surrender of our voice has only further betrayed us.

Hamdan Yousuf, while intelligent, does not represent me or the vast majority of Muslims in America ("Yassin's assassination cannot be accepted," March 25). Though well spoken, his political and personal views are as disturbing to Muslims as they are to non-Muslims. We reinforce the image of the Muslim as "the Other" by using the faces and voices of men like Yousuf to represent the face of Islam.

While many stand united in our condemnation of the method and logic behind the assassination of Sheikh Yassin, we do not speak with the voice of Yousuf. He has made private statements that women should not talk in public, and has argued that the Saudi-approved interpretation of the Quran is the most accurate English rendering. He has also said that fornication is permissible for men and forbidden for women. The easiest criticism of him is that of speaking one message in public and another among Muslims. Still, his image is considered by some as being more favorable than that of many Muslims on campus who have simply become disenfranchised.