September 23, 2005

The USPS Muslim Stamp

Snapshots In My Time...
Of My Time.....Hauntings.

Why does this stamp bother me? Maybe because it is the fanatical muslims...not all.. that the US is fighting in the war against terror. Maybe because it was fanatical muslims who bombed the world trade center. Should the USA be honoring muslim holidays in these political times ? I am not so sure. This stamp came out on September 1st and a friend of mine sent me an email that is now circulating the WWW that it should be boycotted. That Americans should not buy the muslim stamp. I do not think I will be buying it. How many of the 6-7 million are in a sleeper cell?

Here is a small snippet from the USPS postal site as to why America is honoring muslim holiday of EID with a stamp.


"This is a proud moment for the Postal Service, the Muslim community, and Americans in general as we issue a postage stamp to honor and commemorate two important Islamic celebrations," said Azeezaly S. Jaffer, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications for the Postal Service, who will dedicate the stamp. "The Eid stamp will help us highlight the business, educational and social contributions of the estimated six to seven million Muslims in this country whose cultural heritage has become an integral part of the fabric of this great nation."The Eid stamp commemorates the two most important festivals—or eids—in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each other "Eid mubarak," the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. "Eid mubarak" translates literally as "blessed festival," and can be paraphrased as "May your religious holiday be blessed." This phrase can be applied to both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
You can check out the entire article at the US Postal Service.

5 comments:

  1. I agree. On some other blogs they mention that only fanatical muslims are bad. But...check out the book, The Sword of the Prophet, to find the truth.

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  2. Does the Kwaanza stamp or any other religious holiday stamp bother people? Are their beliefs wrong too because it isn't the "American" way?
    My husband has been overseas fighting in this war, and will go back another time soon. I support a reorganization effort if it means the safety of the world from terrorists.
    There is so much hate in peoples hearts that we (Americans) have become like the fanatical muslims ourselves. A persons religious beliefs does not mean they are or will ever become a terrorist. America was founded because of religious persecution; are we becoming like the very thing we were against?

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  3. One large problem with so-called "boycott" chain letters is that their authors usually aren't so much interested in a boycott as they are to spread a message. That's why most of these boycotts are utterly ineffective - after all, how could you boycott something that you weren't going to buy in the first place?

    After all, in order for a boycott to be effective, its participants must be likely consumers of the item to be boycotted. In this case, the likely consumers of a Muslim holiday stamp would be Muslims.

    The U.S. Postal Service did not expect them to buy it in the first place (Christians and Jews each have their own holiday stamp), and isn't foisting it upon them. In fact, I've heard reports that the stamp may not even be available at post offices that serve communities where there is not a sizable Muslim population.

    The chain e-mail you mention, carries a theme that resonates with many Americans, but what does it really seek to accomplish?

    Rather, it seems much more feasible that the chain e-mail author's intent was to express his or her own distrust of Islam and frustration at federal tax dollars being used to create a stamp that he or she feels is inappropriate, given recent events (the list of attacks carried out by Muslim terrorist in the chain letter above is fairly accurate).

    But the author and those who have supported this chain make several dangerous leaps of logic:

    That by commemorating one of Islam's most holy holidays, the U.S. Government is, in effect, validating terrorism;

    That law-abiding Muslim-American citizens don't deserve such a stamp because of the actions of other Muslims; and

    That the majority of Muslims support the acts of terrorism committed in their name against U.S. targets.

    The veracity of the above points is subject to debate, one that I will not get into here.

    Suffice it to say, this chain letter, which started circulating in the 2001 holiday season, has resurfaced every holiday season since, and consistently brings with it a good deal of hate through e-mail circles and message boards.

    What a wonderful way to start the Holiday season, isn't it ? We, as Christians seem to be so full of hate that it makes me ashamed of my own faith. WWJD ?

    Anyway, the EID postage stamp was introduced by the United States Postal Service (at the then-current 34-cent rate) as part of their Holiday Celebrations Series on 1 September 2001, just ten days before the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. The EID stamp was reissued by the USPS in October 2002 at the new 37-cent rate.

    The EID stamp is often mischaracterized as a "Christmas stamp" even though it has nothing to do with Christmas other than that it is part of a series of U.S. postage stamps commemorating several diverse celebrations (Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Thanksgiving) which sometimes occur at roughly the same time of year. (The Holiday Celebrations Series of stamps also commemorates celebrations occurring at distinctly different times of the year, such as Cinco de Mayo.)

    The statement "[Muslims] don't even believe in Christ and they're getting their own Christmas stamp!" is nonsensical, akin to protesting Hanukkah stamps because "Jews don't even believe in Christ but they have their own Christmas stamp."

    As the USPS describes the EID stamp:

    The Eid stamp commemorates the two most important festivals ( or eids ) in the Islamic calendar: Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. On these days, Muslims wish each other "Eid mubarak," the phrase featured in Islamic calligraphy on the stamp. "Eid mubarak" translates literally as "blessed festival," and can be paraphrased as "May your religious holiday be blessed." This phrase can be applied to both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.

    The word "eid" is roughly equivalent to the English word "celebration" or "festival." The three-day Eid al-Fitr celebrates the end of the month-long fasting of Ramadan; the three-day Eid al-Adha commemorates the willingness of the Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael in response to God's command*, and it marks the end of Hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca.

    Should Americans boycott a stamp commemorating Islamic holidays? That's a personal decision, but the following facts may prove informative:

    The EID stamp is an ordinary first-class postage stamp; *all* *proceeds* from its sale go to the USPS, not to any Muslim-related groups or organizations. Boycotting the EID stamp is a purely symbolic act with no financial impact on anyone.

    The United States is home to an estimated 6 million Muslims, and according to the U.S. State Department, by the year 2010 the Muslim population of the United States is expected to surpass the Jewish population, making Islam the country's second-largest faith.

    The USPS already issues stamps commemorating the Christian holiday of Christmas (with both religious and festive themes) and the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah as well as Kwanzaa.

    The American greeting card manufacturer *Hallmark* produces cards celebrating Eid al-Fitr.

    The President of the United States, George W. Bush, has extended official greetings, issued messages, and participated in commemorations of both Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (even after the September 11 attacks), and the White House web site promotes the EID stamp as well.

    We have yet to hear anyone question his patriotism or condemn his statements on Islam as "a slap in the face" to victims of terrorism.

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  4. Do you think any Islamic country would honor Christians or for that matter anything American related in the form a stamp?

    How well would a Jesus stamp sell in such countries. Or a stamp with the U.S. flag?

    Not well I think.

    How many non-Islam practicing American's do you think buy the EID stamp?

    Why does our country have to pretend to be P.C. for minorities? Especially one's tied to terrorism and the 9/11 attacks.

    And if it's in the Constitution, let's remember, it can be changed. We may have to exterminate every muslim on the planet to rid terrorism and the furious political thoughts that come fromt the middle east.

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  5. To the last anonymous comment, and to others that are comfortable making blanket statements about Muslims and being so outraged at these stamps. Have you even been to a Muslim country? What makes you think there aren't minority Christian populations in these countries that are being given recognition with stamps?
    In fact, do you even buy stamps? What makes you care so much about this? Have you looked at the USPS stamp collection? Do you know how many stamps are issued each year? Give me a break, you have to have better things to do than to go out spilling this kind of uninformed trash. Stop reading tabloids and watching hard copy. Instead, pick up a paper, a magazine or two, and maybe hit that thing called the library that you haven't seen in decades. Read the US Constitution, and some basic information about the founding fathers before you color America using your own paintbrushes. You'd be surprised to see that the America you think exists didn't quite start of the same way, and the mush in your head is more backwards than two century old politician's brains. Oh yeah, while you're at it, take a closer look at the Bible before you think it's full of precious peaceful commentary and supercedes all other religious text in the world. Finally, try reading some Laura Ingalls Wilder.

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