MAYBE IM LATE ON THIS BUT APPARENTLY THERE IS A NEW FOREVER STAMP OUT THERE. THE DESIGN WAS ORDERED BY OBAMA. BASICALLY IT HONORS THE EXTREME ISLAM GROUP RESPONSIBLE FOR TERROR ACTS. IM NO SCHOLAR ON THIS SUBJECT BUT I SAW THIS ON ZAZZLE.COM. THE STAMP HAS HEARTS AND BUTTERFLIES SURROUNDING ARABIC WRITING. DO NOT BUY THEM. SAY NO THANKS I WANT DIFFERENT STAMPS. HOW MUCH LONGER DO WE LET THIS GO ON? NOVEMBER? DO WE REALLY HAVE THAT MUCH TIME? OBAMA MUST GO!!!!!!!!!!!
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Obama had nothing to do with this stamp, which was first announced during President George W. Bush’s administration, on Aug. 1, 2001, honoring two Muslim holidays, including Eid al-Fitr, the first day following the month of Ramadan, a period of fasting and religious observances. The stamp first came out at 34 cents, the prevailing first class rate at the time. It has been reissued several times whenever that rate increased.
It was part of the Postal Service’s "Holiday Celebration Series" and the Postal Service took full credit, without any mention of a White House role, then or now. "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," Azeezaly S. Jaffer, vice president, public affairs and communications for the Postal Service, said in a 2001 news release.
That was more than a month before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. However, the stamp was reissued as a 37-cent stamp on Oct. 10, 2002. And that time, the Bush White House posted an item promoting the special stamp, as part of an effort to reach out to the world Muslim community on Ramadan.
Bush himself marked Eid al-Fitr with an address at the Islamic Center of Washington, D.C., Dec. 5, 2002, in which he praised the spirit of the day:
George W. Bush, Dec. 5, 2002: The spirit behind this holiday is a reminder that Islam brings hope and comfort to more than a billion people worldwide. Islam affirms God’s justice and insists on man’s moral responsibility. This holiday is also an occasion to remember that Islam gave birth to a rich civilization of learning that has benefitted mankind.
Bush issued statements of personal greetings to Muslims in connection with the Eid al-Fitr holiday not only in 2002, but again in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007 and his final year in office, 2008. (In 2004 we couldn’t find a Bush message honoring Eid al-Fitr, but Bush did follow his usual practice of honoring Ramadan that year, even as he was campaigning for reelection.)
According to the Postal Service, the Eid stamp was reissued again in 2006, with a 39-cent denomination. It was issued a fourth time in 2007, at 41 cents, and a fifth time in 2008, at 42 cents.
And it was issued most recently – for the sixth time – on Sept. 3, at the current first-class rate of 44 cents.
That was a few days after Obama had issued a statement honoring the start of Ramadan, which began Aug. 22. It remains to be seen if Obama will also issue greetings to Muslims at Eid al-Fitr, as Bush did. Eid al-Fitr comes this year on Sunday, Sept. 20, according to the Fiqh Council of North America.
Footnote: We’re not aware of any calls to "boycott" this stamp during the Bush administration, but the idea is pointless whoever is in office. It is a commemorative stamp, available only on request.