I shouldn't be writing this column. Look at my byline. Read my last name and note how it ends with a resounding "baum." Or take a glance at my picture and note my misshapen nose. I'm a Jew through and through. And that's not all: I'm a Jewish-American male studying at the University of Wisconsin. The closest I've been to the Middle East was a brief 48-hour jaunt through Slovenia, a wonderful little country sadly mired in existential crisis ever since Slovakia came and crashed the party. Despite my complete social disconnect from issues pertaining to Islamic women's headwear, I refuse to refrain from throwing in my two cents, which is a fairly accurate measure of the value of my opinion. The latest European trend, calling for dress codes that ban the hijab in various public venues, is a major fashion faux pas. It is important to note that a significant number of Muslim women choose not to cover their heads, as the hijab is far from being a pillar of the Islamic faith. Those who do partake can indulge in an unlimited number of colors, fabrics and sizes. Some even sport the niqab: A mega-hijab covering the entire head except for a little slit for viewing purposes. Really pious Muslim women who are also blind sometimes go as far as to sew the eye slit closed and then get super mad props from Allah. No I'm just kidding. And being offensive. Most women wear the hijab for religious observation just like Jews who wear yarmulkes and Sikhs who wrap their hair. Other women cover their heads to make a feminist statement against Western pop culture products like the Pussycat Dolls and Paris Hilton, America's No. 1 and No. 2 exports, respectively. Some are trying to avoid unwanted attention and catcalls, particularly in areas where harassment from men is common. Covering your head and face is a crummy and ineffective way to avoid abuse, but it is altogether unimportant whether or not I approve of the aforementioned reasons. Do I really need to explain why women living in liberal democracies should be able to choose what they wear? Europe is shooting itself in the foot by enacting anti-headscarf legislation and making the hijab a public policy concern. In 2004, France removed the headscarf from public schools, and British government officials have come out saying women shouldn't wear the niqab in public. Just last week the Netherlands — always looking to go above and beyond — voted to ban the hijab altogether. All three of these countries have Muslim populations exceeding one million, and all three governments have more than proved their ineptitude at suppressing their regressive xenophobia. Unimaginative pundits claim that Islamic headwear is a security issue, and in a roundabout way they are completely right. Such tactless political posturing, besides being incompatible with the Western notion of freedom of expression, ultimately creates security threats by picking at scabs of ethnic divisions that need time to heal. The hijab is a relatively insignificant aspect of Islamic tradition, and attacking it makes it a cause that invigorates religious extremism and gives power to those who rule through fear and hatred. As a non-Muslim male I will never claim to truly understand the choice to wear the hijab. Without any legal training I am not convinced that a ban on the hijab is beyond our judiciary, and if the mid-term elections taught me anything it was that our legislatures are not stalwart defenders of personal freedoms. If there is an issue that resonates with both urban and rural America it is national security. To follow the lead of England, France, and the Netherlands and threaten the legality of a simple headscarf is to threaten the security of our country. Daniel Tenenbaum ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in political science, international studies and history.