Through the Looking Glass:  Eid Stamp Continues to Provoke Religious Right

Once again 4 years after the release of the Eid stamp by the U.S. Postal Service, we have ignorant people questioning why we should have such a stamp.  This is not new, there have been those who compared issuing an Eid stamp to issuing a swastica stamp during WWII, and those who have called for a boycott of the stamp.

Why should we have any stamps honoring any holidays?  Simply, because they are holidays celebrated by some Americans, and hopefully honored by those of us who celebrate other holidays.

There are many different Christmas stamps - so many that they need not be documented.  There is a Hanukkah stamp.  There is a Kwanzaa stamp.  There is a Chinese lunar New Year stamp - in fact there is a whole series of them.  There is a Thanksgiving stamp.  There is no Halloween stamp, but there is a petition requesting one to be added.  There is even a petition to add a Hindu Divali stamp.

Why should we have any stamp honoring the Muslim holiday of Eid?  We should have such a stamp because there are at least 6 to 10 million Muslims in the U.S., and this means that Muslims are the second or third largest religious community in the U.S. (depending on the actual population number).  American Muslims lobbied for the stamp and were suscessful.  I hope that the effort to have a Diwali stamp is just as successful.

Instead, let me ask “why should we not” have such a stamp?

The only reasons that come to mind are that American Muslims are not realӔ Americans with the same rights as those of other denomination; that muslims have nothing to be proud of within their faith and customs; that we are at war with the entire religion of Islam to the point that even its joyous celebrations are taboo. I pray no one believes any of this to be true.

Since we already have stamps celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah, etc. and these are holidays of particular religions, then we must decide - either no religious holidays will be honored, or any may be.

I for one will continue to buy some of each of these to honor all!

by courtesy & 2005 The American Muslim

Published originally at The American Muslim : republication allowed with this notice and hyperlink intact.”

Sheila Musaji is the editor of The American Muslim

see entire list of articles TAM has published under this heading at Through the Looking Glass - Index