The terminology is bad. Ban the Burka sounds like a ban on simple traditional dress, and people jump to the question of whether the sari or blue jeans might be next. What European countries are discussing banning are facial veils that hide the identity of the wearer. There are legitimate security reasons for doing so, for instance veils or burkas could become the disguise of choice for robbers. Beyond that, these facial veils send a message that women can have no public identity, and that is an idea that most people reject.
Ban the Burka is an alliterative clichee that allows people to hop very easily on one side or the other of a debate that really requires thoughtfulness. It potentially sets up a new victim class that will recruit more women to don veils in support of their “oppressed sisters.” It reduces the issue to a tabloid headline level, and it is far more serious than that.
