Voltaire's objections to state-imposed religion in 18th-century France would hold true for militant secularism today. Tolerance is fundamental to a healthy society: “tolerance has never caused a civil war; intolerance has covered the Earth with carnage” (Treatise on Tolerance). Banning the veil, like all attempts to create a more homogeneous society, is destined to fail. Any ban encourages Islamophobia and fuels extremism by stigmatizing Muslims. We must instead “focus on creating mechanisms to help women escape subjugation and domestic abuse, to leave oppressive family structures without fear of violent reprisals, as well as to equip them with tools to better integrate into society and ensure their autonomy ” (National Secular Society). Banning the veil is ultimately more of a threat to society than the veil itself. The future stability of Europe depends on it