Bush Hand-Picked Controversial 9/11 Stamp

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

[kattracks]

President Bush personally selected a controversial photo of three white firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero for a U.S. postage stamp commemorating the 9/11 attacks, according to the congressman who introduced legislation proposing a stamp to memorialize the attacks last fall.

"The interesting thing here is [the Postal Service] sent about four or five designs over to the White House," revealed Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., during an interview Sunday with WABC Radio's Steve Malzberg.

"And the president, I think, picked this one. He picked the actual photograph - which is unusual, because we don't put live people on stamps," Ackerman said.

The much-celebrated photograph of firemen George Johnson, Dan McWilliams and Billy Eisengrein raising Old Glory amidst the rubble just hours after the attacks became embroiled in controversy in January after NewsMax.com revealed rampant discontent within the New York City Fire Department over an earlier plan to portray the event with a racially altered statue of the three men.

The ensuing firestorm of public protest forced cancellation of the planned statue, with the Postal Service's selection two months later of the actual flag-raising photo widely viewed as a victory for historical accuracy over political correctness.

But it was not known until Sunday that Bush himself, and not the Postal Service, made the final decision on the stamp. Its unveiling took place Monday at the White House, with the president posing for pictures next to Eisengrein, McWilliams and Johnson inside the Oval Office.

The photographer who snapped the now world-famous shot, Thomas Franklin of The Record of North Jersey newspaper, was also on hand for the unveiling.

Playing off the brouhaha surrounding the canceled statue, Ackerman joked, "[The ceremony] was wonderful. Nobody showed up in blackface or turned into somebody else. They were who they started out that morning [as]."

The price of the 9/11 stamp will be 45 cents - 11 extra cents over normal cost - with most of the additional cost going directly to help the widows and children of the first firefighters lost in the 9/11 attacks, Ackerman said.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Bush Administration
War on Terrorism

[Revolting cat!]

Actually, I am blinded by sarcasm.

And I am blinded by amazement at the stubborn, humourless literal mindedness of some here. They'll get you every time, choke up with self righteousness, condemn you to hell and DU! Must all jokes be preceeded by an introduction "now I'm going to tell you a joke"? Sheesh! (Pardon moi, that's my obligatory Monday morning rant against the humourless universe.)

[Sabertooth]

I think the painting vs. photo distinction is a non-issue

I tend to agree with this, as well as the rest of your post.

I just haven't given it a lot of thought, so I'm open to discussion.

The stamp President Bush picked is OK by me, and I look forward to using it.

[mrustow]

Note, too, that those weren't "firefighters," those were firemen.

[Revolting cat!]

The USPS is pissed because with a photograph they haven't been given an opportunity to do their usual adjustments, such as removing the cigarette from James Dean's, Bogie's and Robert Johnson's mouths (that in addition to the politically correct stuff.) They haven't been allowed to "design" the stamp. Scandalous, just scandalous!

[Steve_Seattle]

There was a stamp of James Dean? Maybe someday they'll do one of Dennis "Frank Booth" Hopper, with the caption, "Hey, t*ts, where's my fu**in' bourbon?

[Revolting cat!]

The 30% tax on the stamp is rather obscene, don't you think? Sure, you can use it on international mail and on the wrapped bricks that you send to the junkmailers (actually, the bricks are best sent using the junkmailers' prepaid envelopes, so scratch that,) but a more dignified, meaningful and symbolic way, I think, would be to say add a cent or two to the current 34 cent first class stamp. This just looks like another opportunistic government grab even if it isn't one!

[mewzilla]

Whoa, there. Only eight cents of the eleven is going to charity?! Paging Bill O'Reilly...

[Steve_Seattle]

To me the surcharge on the stamp is far more questionable - despite the motive - than the photo-of-living-Americans issue. This is basically the use of a public resource for private financial gain.

[Marysecretary]

How about a crippled, blind, deaf black transexual... GREAT choice, President Bush. Slap them PC folks right across the nose, which, of course is already bent out of shape.

[Marysecretary]

WHAT? Firemen???? Why, they should be called firepersonnel or firemembers (sarcasm). Can't call the one who delivers your mail a mail man either. S/he is a person person.

[Revolting cat!]

RE # 70:

Look who's talking! Unless you head a gubmint department, what classist nerve you have to call yourself a "secretary"?! "Administrative Assistant", that's what you are!

[Don Joe]

"President Bush personally selected a controversial photo of three white firefighters raising the American flag at Ground Zero"

There are only two guys raising the flag in that photograph.

[Howlin]

Has anybody seen the other "examples" that they sent over to the White House?

[mewzilla]

No, but knowing the USPS we should be exceedingly grateful that G.W. was the person making the choice. I would like to see what they were, though.

[The Great Satan]

Yes, but those are paintings. By violating precedent and choosing a photograph, Bush preempted the multiculturalist brigade. I guess that's where the "controversy" lies.

[ppaul]

Here's the real 9/11 stamp:

[Marysecretary]

Actually, I'm more of an administrative assistant than I am a secretary but the university won't let us use that. We could become office managers, etc. but administrative assistant is a special designation here. I may soon be a retiree! As long as they pay me they can call me anything but late to lunch! M

[another cricket]

an oregon sucker fish...

Why would Monica..... oh, never mind, it's too easy.:~)

a. cricket

[Squantos]

He picked the actual photograph - which is unusual, because we don't put live people on stamps," Ackerman said. .................along with the fact we don't make Elvis look like MLK either do we.

Lick this Ackerman (.)

Stay Safe Kattracks !

[general_re]

Maybe someday they'll do one of Dennis "Frank Booth" Hopper, with the caption, "Hey, t*ts, where's my fu**in' bourbon?

I can see it...

"...mommy, mommy, MOMMY...baby wants to f***!" ;)