[1010RD]

I don’t disagree with your other points, but those issues are really the purview of minority radicals in Islam. Most Muslims are ordinary and middle of the road in their views. They go to work, eat, sleep without dreaming of jihad or overthrowing the West.

The niqab is the outward sign of radical Islam. It is literally the face of radicalism. It is anti-woman and thus anti-West. It is the lever used to force Sharia on the West through the abuse of our tolerance.

At a hospital near me there is a receptionist who wears the niqab. All the staff must wear a name badge with a photo. Her photo has her in a niqab. It is absurd.

Start by banning the niqab and you end radical Islam. Islamists hate women. Once they lose hold of their women it is all over.

The ideal thing is that it brings the Left into the picture by letting the Right lead on women’s rights. It’s win-win for us.

You avoid the 1st Amendment issue by simply citing it for security purposes she must expose her face. It’s that simple.

[El Cid]

Good logical analysis on your post 15. I appreciate it.
I still lean in calling the niqab a 'superficial' issue that dodges the real meat of the problem: the koran and hadiths. And although I agree with you, most muslims (all that I know) are gentle and well-mannered folks -- there is the underlying problem that their professed religion is based on books that tell them not to be gentle and well-mannered to non-believers. Thank God they don't follow their religion -- but you have to always wonder if they are ticking time-bombs that are just waiting for their inner-jihadist to get released (i.e., 'getting that old time religion').

But your points are well argued and you could be right. Ban the Niqab - and create the wedge to out the fervent radicals. I agree this would be at least a step in the right direction.