Why No 9/11 10th Anniversary Stamps?

This year, the USPS has seen fit to issue stamps about being "green", but they did NOT issue a stamp commemorating the 10th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Personally, I find this rather insulting. In this time of "don't offend anyone", is the Post Office going for stamps of Pixar characters, instead of commemorating an event that has touched so many Americans?

Maybe I am alone in my feelings, but I need to vent...

JD

For once I am not going to comment !!

There is a longstanding history with the US Postal Service that they will NOT issue stamps depicting disasters or national tragedies, such as 09/11 attacks. (Same reason why they will not issue a 2012 stamp on the Centennial of the sinking of the Titanic disaster and even Acts-of-God type disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, will not make the cut either.)

As for 09/11 if you go back to 2001, they did issue a semi-postal stamp with the word "Heroes" printed on it, but intentionally made absolutely no mention of the attacks on the stamp. Likewise, while they may have issued "memorial stamps" for JFK, RFK and MLK, etc., no reference is ever made as to their having been assassinated. There is precedent for all of this, in that they don't want to encourage the "commemoration" of such events. Just think what murderers or terrorist groups would do if they thought the US would issue stamps commemorating their evil deeds?!

I don't think that is tops on their list of wants. But to a point, I do see what you mean as far as not wanting to glorify a tragedy, BUT I don't think it is right to pretend something didn't happen, either. A very subtle stamp could have been issued, without any text.

I guess I am alone on this one...

Nice thought Nells, but I don't think anyone could pretend it never happened.

Thinking about it, perhaps I brought up a subject too political/personal for this forum. I don't want to make any waves. Moderators can delete if they see fit...

The debate side of things is pretty personal, yes -- but I do think the original enquiry as to the rationale is relevant here ... with all the JFK, MLK, Heroes, Chaplains, etc., stamps floating around, I for one would never have guessed that there was supposed to be an official no-go-zone policy.

Here's the exact quote from the Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee on your question:




If you want to read in more detail the entire Selection Criteria, and review who the individuals are on the CSAC, here's the link:

http://about.usps.com/who-we-are/le...ommittee.htm

NOTE: I found it interesting to note that Former Postmaster General Benjamin F. Bailar is now a member of the CSAC (I think that is new or at least a fairly recent change.)

Does anyone know of any planned stamps for the sinking of the Titanic? I really think that this has passed from being a disaster, though it certainly was, into something vastly more. The fascination with the Titanic does not seem to abate. I hesitate to call it a legend, since to me that implies that maybe it isn't true, but the event transcends the disaster, IMO.

I think similar thoughts may apply to 9-11, if not now, maybe in a hundred years.

A stamp was issued once because of 9/11. It was the US 1st semi-postal, but that was more intended for the firefighters & police who were victums of the tragity.

For the Titanic anniversary Canada has an issue scheduled for April 2012, "marking Canada's role in the 1912 tragedy".

The "first" 9/11 stamp came about directly from the events that happened. And it even showed some of teh wreckage in the background. Which makes it odd that they would NOT print one 10 years later. It was OK then, but not now?

Should anyone want a 9/11 10th anniversary philatelic memento, this pictorial cancellation can still be requested (up to 30 days after the date, so through October 11, 2011). While not a stamp, it's the next best thing:

i brought visitors there twice to walk around "the windows of the world" at night and see New Jersey and the 5 boroughs..it did look like the whole world.....Gone forever !

but hey!- on the bright side we still have those "brilliant" Hawaiian shirts to keep us entertained until something better shows up eh?

Also that's very good info wt1, I did not know that about the USPS. Thank you.