Muslim defenders should speak out

Richard Cohen's recent column indicting The Economist for its endorsement of a contemporary biography of Sayyid Qutb highlights the frightening trend in our country in which pseudointellectuals choose political correctness over the truth. Apparently nowhere in the magazine's book review does it state that Qutb was the evil intellectual leader of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood and the author of numerous anti-Semitic publications.

As the "father of Islamic fundamentalism," Qutb was outspoken in his hatred of the United States and Jews, blaming the latter for everything from "atheistic materialism to animalistic sexuality." I am frustrated by those who are so fearful of being labeled religious bigots that they are willing to overlook the truth and ignorantly defend the fundamentalist followers of Mohammed.

As a well-respected American publication, The Economist should be ashamed of its silence and so should many Americans who refuse to speak up against Islam as a social ideology just as determined to conquer Western civilization as Mohammad in 628 A.D. was determined to subjugate the Christian and Jewish tribes of Arabia.

As for the peace-loving Muslims of the United States, please speak up against those who have supposedly hijacked your faith. Let us see your faces on the news protesting this hatred, denying that Islam harbors terrorists. The imam of the proposed mosque in the shadow of the World Trade Center should be the most outspoken defender of his religion, not New York Mayor Bloomberg and other misguided religious and civil leaders. Where is his voice? I am grateful at least for the voice of Richard Cohen.

Darla Krzeczowski

Arlington Heights