Bush Hand-Picked Controversial 9/11 Stamp

NewsMax.com ^ | 3/17/02 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[Steve_Seattle]

However, it is true that there has been a policy that living Americans are not portrayed on postage stamps. Whether this is a matter of law or policy I don't know, but I think the purpose of the rule is to prevent politicians and presidents from using the postal service to promote themselves, as is often done in dictatorships. There is obviously no such intent here, but this stamp still might not be allowable under long-standing postal service policy.

[Steve_Seattle]

"the Iwo Jima stamp"

Were any of the people in that stamp still alive when it was issued? It was issued decades after the event.

[Steve_Seattle]

"First Man on the Moon"

Good point - I'd forgotten about that one. The main point of the prohibition of portraying living Americans on stamps is to prevent a president from issuing stamps of himself and thereby establishing a personal cult which would threaten democracy. Stamps which portray unnamed Americans engaging in patriotic or notable actions do not violate the spirit of that rule.

[Steve_Seattle]

" . . .a bottle nose dolphin, a giant redwood . . ."

LOL

[Alas]

I too wish it were 34 cents, as a result, I'll not be using it, no way is the red cross or any of the government dole out folks getting anymore of my money.At least not voluntarily.

Mark

[Steve_Seattle]

I'd forgotten that there were two Iwo Jima stamps, one issued in the forties, one recently. So now we have at at least two examples of stamps that featured living Americans.

[d14truth]

What about Elvis? {;~)

[Sabertooth]

Were any of the people in that stamp still alive when it was issued? It was issued decades after the event.

In 1945 the post office issued a stamp titled "Iwo Jima" commemorating the Marine Corps and depicting the flag raising on Mount Suribachi. The stamp was issued on July 11, 1945 in Washington, DC. [Scott 929]. Mellone's catalog of cachets list 61 known covers for the Iwo Jima stamp.
LINK.

[Sabertooth]

(((ping))))

[Sabertooth]

I'd forgotten that there were two Iwo Jima stamps, one issued in the forties, one recently. So now we have at at least two examples of stamps that featured living Americans.

Aren't a few of the Iwo Jima guys still around?

[jwalburg]

What we really should have done is called Hollywood to audition the perfect mix of people and races and then we could have had them pose for several photos. Besides, if Hollywood had done it, it would have been much more real.

Yeah! Or something like what they did with Betty Crocker!

[Sabertooth]

What a treat for the honored individuals to be able to hand down a living treasure (the stamp) to their children and grandchildren. Too bad they didn't imortalize the famous Iwo Jima vets the same way!

See posts #34, #40, and #50 on this thread.

[kylaka]

ST, those are depictions of "live" people, not the actual photograph. There is a difference. Not that it matters very much, but it is a milestone.

[RonDog]

www.IwoJima.com

[bwteim]

Thanks for the post, kattracks, and the ping, Saber.

[Sabertooth]

ST, those are depictions of "live" people, not the actual photograph. There is a difference. Not that it matters very much, but it is a milestone.

Agreed. I wouldn't have had a problem with an accurate painting or engraving of the WTC Flagraising. Not sure I see a need to back down from the photograph now, though, in favor of an accurate artist's impression..

I'm open to thoughts either way.

[Sabertooth]

Thanks for the Iwo Jima link, RonDog. It seems that Mike Bradley was the last of the Iwo Jima Flagraisers, and he passed away in 1994.

The 32 cent Iwo Jima stamp depicted at #40 was issued in 1995, so only the 3 cent Iwo Jima stamp at #34 was issued while any of those men were still alive.

[Steve_Seattle]

I think the painting vs. photo distinction is a non-issue. Painting or not, everyone knew who the first man on the moon was, and at least one of the Iwo Jima soldiers - Ira Hayes - became well-known, albeit for negative reasons (a Native American, he died prematurely, an impoverished alcoholic). The prohibition against living Americans on stamps is primarily intended to prevent a megalomaniacal president from issuing stamps of himself, as is rampant in third-world dictatorships, or in European countries-gone-bad such as Nazi Germany.

[ClancyJ]

" . . .a bottle nose dolphin, a giant redwood . . ."

Yes, and we must remember the squirrels. How do you think they feel about being left out?