[lbo-talk] Re: Muslim holiday stamp

[Tim Francis-Wright]

Tommy Kelly wrote:
> My mom sent me an email "alerting" me of a stamp celebrating a Muslim
> holiday Eid.  Aside from the usual Christian tone on it, it did have a
> reasonable question: "... [the government will not allow] posting the ten
> commandments on federal property [and yet they allow this]?
> 
> Website: http://www.usps.com/news/2001/philatelic/sr01_054.htm
> Note it also say's: "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE AUGUST 1, 2001"
> 
Yes, the USPS first issued an Eid stamp on September 2001--for decades, it
has issued at least two Christmas stamps--one or more with "secular"
themes and one with a classical religious paintings.  (The USPS used to 
call the Madonna-and-Child issue the 'Holiday Traditional' stamp.)  And 
for the last several years, it has released annual stamps for other 
celebrations as well--Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Chinese New Year come to mind.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/eidstamp.asp

The Eid stamp got reissued in 2002 when the postage rates went up, but 
otherwise it is simply reprinted each year.  The other traditions, 
though, get a new design each year.  First class stamps, but third-class 
treatment!

It could be worse, though.  Dig out a stamp catalog and take a gander at 
the "Champion of Liberty" series from the late 1950s--honoring those 
anti-Communist leaders with oversized 8-cent depictions of bas-relief 
medals.  Or the stamp honoring Poland's milennium of Christianity 
(Scott 1313).  Now that's using the mails for propaganda.

--tim francis-wright