– The Wall Street Journal wraps up where things stand now in the Santa-on-a-beer-label debate. (Subscripton required)
– The Bangor Daily News gets right to the point with an editorial headlined “Maine’s beer label ban misguided.”
The state’s refusal to allow the label is reminiscent of Attorney General John Ashcroft covering the aluminum “Spirit of Justice” statue at the Department of Justice after he grew tired of being photographed in front of her naked breast during news conferences. He ended up drawing more attention to the statue for covering it, and that is what the bureau has done with its ban — provided more free advertising that any company could imagine.
Maine should not be in the business of censoring art or restricting silly holiday puns. It would do better to call the ruling an error made with the best of intentions and lift the bans before Maine becomes the butt of bad puns about its restrictive view of free expression.
– Most of the controversey surrounds labels on beers imported by The Shelton Brothers. Their blog has plenty on the subject.