Banning face coverings

[robvalue]

May as well ban men with beards then if we're going to be equal

Rob, is your point one of security, fashion or as a religious expression?

I would ban it here simply from a practical security aspect. Same reason you can't walk into a bank with a bike helmet on ...

I'm finding the whole thing confusing really. I'm thinking it all through. Right now it seems to me like a general ban is a bad idea, as the arguments supporting it are rather weak. The question is whether a ban would be a benefit to society overall. That's always an extremely difficult issue. I'm feeling that the restriction on personal liberty is not justified by potential benefits, and going after religious indoctrination in this manner is a dubious practice. Perhaps the countries that made the ban hoped that this would aid integration, but I wonder if this just makes things worse.

I agree that people should have to remove it when security demands it, like you say. If you need to be identifiable, then religious exemption is not acceptable.