Cancelling My Subscription To Canadian Stamp News

I guess the point is, the human race has, and should continue to, become more civilised. To recognise the terrible things that have happened in history and not celebrate the perpetrators as great people. To use an obvious (and hopefully non-controversial) example, you wouldn't want Hitler commemorated on a new stamp, and wouldn't point out attrocities elsewhere to justify it.

The original post said the comments were historically ignorant. Well I don't think they are.

Most historians seek to look at the past in the correct context. But no history is written without present context as well. Often this addresses the biased writing of the past, for instance, in the work of revisionist historians who provided a belated corrective to the Dunning School's racist writings on Reconstruction. As for Jefferson, Samuel Johnson nailed him and his ilk 350 years ago: "How is it that we hear the loudest yelps for liberty among the drivers of negroes?"

On the OP's original point, why not accept the article as one person's view - no need to reduce your reading matter.

Was QEII a perp?

Hmmmmm...who decides what the "correct" viewpoint is?

I tried to find the article (editorial?) by Jesse Robitaille, but couldn't - I guess because I don't subscribe to the magazine in question. He is certainly entitled to his opinion, but the references I do find suggest that he is the editor of Canadian Stamp News. If that's the case, he presumably has a lot of say, if not control, over what appears in that magazine and how it appears. Therefore, if I were a subscriber, I would also have concerns about whether his opinions influence the content (do the editors of the NY Times or WSJ allow their opinions to influence what appears?).

As far as Mr. Robitaille being ignorant, he may not be with respect to certain less-than-honorable aspects of British history, but he certainly displays symptoms of it when he proceeds to argue against any further issuance of stamps honoring Queen Elizabeth. Since every nation (current or nonexisting), every culture, every people, etc. has at one time or another, subject to the limits of technology and other means at hand at the time, committed dishonorable acts against members of their own society as well as other external societies, I would suggest that the logical conclusion of his reasoning would be that no political or other leading citizen of any country ever again be portrayed on a stamp. We should limit all issuance to pictures of cute puppies and kittens, beautiful flowers, and shots of wonderful galaxies (unless of course there are beings committing oppression in those galaxies).

And as for comparing the issuance of stamps in honor of Hitler with Elizabeth, well . . .

Many thoughtful ideas...
I should add that the editor of CSN (not Jesse Robitaille) contacted me by phone to discuss the matter. He stated that the article was a commentary, and did not represent the editorial position. I rejoined that, as editor, he was responsible for the paper's content and that there was no disclaimer to indicate otherwise. Nevertheless, I appreciate his diligence and professionalism in contacting me and engaging in a civil dialogue.

When looking for words to re-summarize my position, I found the above entry, written by the Oracle of Delphi, to be quite succinct.

But why go there in the first place? Seems rather self-indulgent to let your ideological self go full throated in a mainstream philatelic publication meant for all collectors.

Well, rogdcam, 771 views and 22 replies (so far) would not indicate my "self indulgence". but rather a communal interest in the topic.

Sak - Not YOUR self-indulgence, Jesse's self-indulgence.

rogdcam: thank you

sak,

Like you, I tend to 'vote' with wallet and avoid supporting companies whose behavior I disagree with.
Don

Rather than cancelling your subscription over one person's opinion, why not offer to write a rejoinder?

And continue down the path of creating political drama in a philatelic publication?
Don

The writer has his right to his opinion and action but discussing it here just drags it out. I do not see how the writer could collect many stamps since these depict countries that committed some atrocity. Why does the death of QEII change the fundamental basis for their opinion? If I had such a view, I would believe that I should not collect any UK stamps.