Because there are no religious customs that the New York Times does not approve of.

Behind the Veil

The public attacks on a religious custom by Mr. Straw and Mr. Blair will only feed the suspicions of non-Muslim Europeans and the sense of stigma and segregation among European Muslims.

God forbid. It might feed the suspicions of Muslims that one of the principles of modern Western society is based on increasing freedom and equality for it's women instead of less.  While the Times is capable of linking the veil issue to unemployment, they are incapable of linking it to cultures where women are never seen, much less heard.

Apart from this, how stupid is it to allow for all intents and purposes, the perfect disguise for Muslim terorrists who want to move freely around Europe?  And don't think it hasn't been done many times before.