In the 1980s, using the slogan “What’s the Doughboy afraid of?” two Vermont guys successfully battled Pillsbury, maker of Ha?agen-Dazs, for the right to distribute their ice cream in Boston. Pillsbury allegedly had threatened to pull Ha?agen-Dazs from stores if they also carried Ben and Jerry’s.

The Cape Elizabeth town manager’s recent suspension of publication of new resident e-mails to the town Web site “pending resolution of policy and technical issues” brought to mind that slogan.

In an e-mail to town officials, the manager stated one issue involves “responses from . . . officials which they do not post . . ., but which are later posted as part of a thread of e-mails (and another) is that individuals have been placing links in their e-mails to private blogs permitting anonymous commenting and which exhibit bias.”

Apart from the issue of censoring, since e-mails from public officials relating to public business are public records, there should be no question about them being posted. It is the raising of the second issue, however, that most concerns me.

In his e-mail, the manager quotes Web site policy on links to external sites, which states the Web site “will not provide links to sites that promote or exhibit bias, discrimination, pornography, libelous or otherwise defamatory content. . . . or blogs where anonymous commenting is permitted . . . .” A recent e-mail to the Web site quoted my blog, Cape Elizabeth Voice, as a source for factual information, as it might have quoted the Current or any other newspaper.

The prohibition on links to sites exhibiting “bias” clearly refers to racial or similar bias, not “bias” in the sense of a point of view. If, however, Cape wishes to adhere to this ludicrous interpretation of the guidelines, it must delete the link to Cape Elizabeth Education Foundation (CEEF) from the ‘Links’ section. The CEEF Web site not only exhibits pro-education bias, it contains a blog that permits anonymous commenting (no e-mail registration required). The town Web site also links to the school department Web site, which contains the superintendent’s blog. That blog exhibits a clear pro-school-system bias. The superintendent’s blog links to the technology director’s blog, which exhibits a definite pro-school-technology bias.

The manager also points to the provision: “The Town of Cape Elizabeth does not provide official blogging sites.” The manager goes on to state: “In reviewing the comment threads in our website email feature, some of the pattern of comments is clearly bloglike.” Bloglike!

The manager’s apparent horror of blogs – and even “bloglike” comments from residents – causes me to ask: What’s the town of Cape Elizabeth afraid of? A blog is simply a Web site offering commentary and an opportunity for readers to comment as well. To me and many others, blogs are humble but legitimate members of the journalism family. Blogs do have their critics, however. According to Wikipedia, “Blogs are much harder to control than broadcast or even print media. As a result, totalitarian and authoritarian regimes often seek to suppress blogs and/or to punish those who maintain them.”

It would be ironic if Cape Elizabeth chose to stay on the road the manager has started down – that of constricting access to the online public forum it has created. The Web site’s posting of e-mails to and from municipal officials is so popular many Cape residents are requesting e-mails to and from school officials be allowed to be posted as well. Further, as I’m sure the manager has been made aware by now, the First Amendment exists precisely to prevent government censorship of criticism of itself. The First Amendment makes the manager’s chosen road a hazardous one. I hope officials do not use these hazards as an excuse to shut down a valuable public forum for the views of Cape residents.

Mary Esposito grew up in South Portland and has lived in Cape Elizabeth for over 25 years. A doting grandmother, graduate of Harvard Law School, and former state legislator, Mary is the author of many boring articles on legal issues. Mary’s writing focus is now her blog about Cape Elizabeth town government, Cape Elizabeth Voice, at www.CapeVoice.WordPress.com. She can be reached at CapeVoice.WordPress@gmail.com.