Smithsonian Article On Stamps

I just read this in my current Smithsonian magazine. It addresses the fact that so many other countries are issuing stamps of all kinds, while we adhere to a strict set of rules on what or who can be on stamps. One sentence in the article caught my eye. The author said:

"I'm willing to bet, also, that 40 million to 50 million stamp collectors in India would open their wallets to buy a U.S. stamp that celebrates Sachin "Master Blaster" Tendulkar."

He appears to be a great cricket batsman. It was a good read.

But what does he have to do with our history and culture?

Would Americans buy the stamp? Collectors probably would so it would merely be taking advantage of collectors both here and in India.

But then, again, government is up to so much nonsense, even outright crime, what the hell?

Our last best stamps ended with the bicentennial era, as did our nation.

The high rise of stamp issues is one reason I limit my collection up through 2000. Now with all the unsoakable self adhesives stamps I'm glad I did. Good read.

Excellent article.
Enjoyable reading for a perennial Philatelic New issue complainer like myself.

Thanks for showing it.

Londonbus1....I had to squint a little though.

Excellent article.

Written in a style of 'who cares who reads this, I am writing it for my own pleasure' so then when you do read it and disagree, you are laughing somewhat and kind of forget to raise that objection you were thinking of at the start of the article.

Sneaky but nice way to get you to think about the point of the article, the poor financial straits the USPS seems to be in.

I see nothing wrong with having stamps which honor certain world topics. Perhaps National parks of other countries. Antiquities. Even flags of the world.

I am not too enthused with the idea of honoring people in other countries, unless they transcend national boundaries.
Winston Churchill comes to mind. Mahatma Gandhi. A few others. Yes, I know that a few transcend national boundaries and are not nice people. Wouldn't want to see those.

The idea should not be rejected out of hand.