Thank you for thought provoking comment. You made some valid points I agree with, especially that the face veil is a new concept in the West and that some countries in the east have banned it. However, if we focus on the West (and not on those who copy them) there is absolutely no evidence that women wearing the face veil has increased crime, made the public feel unsafe or encouraged criminals to use it. In fact, take a look at some photos of the EDL (English Defence League) and how they cover their faces when protesting. The fact that they cover their faces is not considered a danger to the public. Some members of the EDL choose to cover their faces because they don't have what it takes to stand up for what they believe in (in their case, bigotry) and hide behind their masks. However, some women choose to wear the face veil because it's a symbol of their values and identity, and part of their spiritual journey they do not want to compromise. I believe that's both brave and commendable; especially in a world that's constantly trying to impose its changing values on people. If Western countries want to ban the face veil, by all means, they should. But they should not pretend to be advocates for human rights whilst stopping a minority from having their rights. And who knows, maybe next year this time, there will be a discussion to ban the head scarf because someone whose hair can't be seen could pose a threat to national security. I think it's ridiculous for any government to spend time on discussing issues to do with a woman's wardrobe (that's the job of Vogue) when there are so many more pressing issues such as unemployment, gender inequality, drugs, human trafficking, rape, murder, pedophilia, corruption etc