Constraining Hate

How to constrain hate campaigns is the subject of a recent ruling by the European Court of Human Rights. While the ruling regarding Hungarian fascist associations and their threatening behavior toward Roma (Gypsies) is not an indigenous issue, it contains discussion applicable to hate crimes and hate campaigns against indigenous peoples. As I noted in my comment on the article at Minorities in Focus, outlawing threatening behavior, be it in print or on the street, seems more effective than banning associations or political parties. Seizing financial assets involved in promoting hate crimes thus becomes a useful deterrent, justified as a response to unlawful rather than merely offensive behavior.