Attacks on Freedom of Speech and Religion in Finland Should Worry the West, and Jews Especially

As a religious minority who have historically held unpopular beliefs, Jews have benefited from freedom of speech and religion, and can’t afford to take them for granted. In Britain, traditional protections on freedom of speech have been gradually eroded, and there have been instances of police showing up at people’s houses to investigate offensive social-media posts. Here in America, there is much talk of fighting online disinformation and concern about so-called “hate speech,” with little corresponding worry about preserving the First Amendment. The story of the Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen should thus serve as a cautionary tale of what can happen when the state uses intolerant means to enforce supposedly tolerant attitudes: