As a stamp collector, I cant really work out why pre-emptive troll Pete Baker, over on Slugger O’Toole is getting so concerned about the Great Gold Post Box Non-Controversy.
Stamps have always been used as Propaganda.
The background to this is that athletes from Norn Iron are Irish or British…….and represent the Ireland (official name) team or the Great Britain (official name) team. Despite the best efforts of unionists and lets get alongerists referring to “Team Great Britain and Northern Ireland”….much to their annoyance Norn Iron doesnt actually exist. Which is actually quite ok with nationalists.
As a stamp collector, I am not a big fan of living people appearing on stamps. The first living person to appear on an Irish stamp ws Pope John Paul II, prior to his visit to Ireland in 1979. Since the 1990s it has become quite commonplace…..Seamus Heaney (poet), Brian Friel (dramatist), Joey and Robert Dunlop (motorcyclists), Paul O’Connell (Rugby Player), Van Morrison (singer) are just some examples. I am not at ease with it.
Apart from Royalty….I dont think that any living person appears on British stamps. I dont collect British stamps (so I just dont know) and the only non-Royals…..I can think of are the “Royal Wedding” stamps. In the cases of Sarah Ferguson, Mark Phillips and Diana Spencer…..that worked out really well didnt it?
It is a hostage to Fortune.
I was therefore quite surprised when the British Post Office announced it would issue a Gold Medal Winners stamp just 24 hours after a Gold Medal was won.
It was in fairness a fantastic feat……A compter image/template set up at three or four secure printing works and a fleet of Mail vans to take the newly printed stamps to several hundred post offices across England, Wales, Scotland and Norn Iron. Thats quite a feat……twenty nine times. And it was all done again for the Paralympics.
But like I say putting living people on stamps is a big risk. Witness Sarah Ferguson, Mark Phillips and Diana Spencer. Had Britain issued a set of stamps in 1975 to commemorate Great Glam Rock Superstars, it would have included Gary Glitter. ‘Nuff said………you see my point.
So twenty nine Olympic athletes (indeed more when you add Teams) is a huge hostage to Fortune. Especially when the stamps are produced so quickly. If any athlee had (say) failed a Drugs Test, well the potential for Scandal is just too great. Indeed even the long term potential in respect of non-sporting tabloid headlines is a risk.
So I was surprised that the British chose this route. And each Olympic Gold Medal winner was to get a Postbox painted Gold in their hometown.
As I said there were some Norn Iron athletes on the British team. And a little more on the Irish team.
Although the rowers from Coleraine went close (Silver and Bronze) nobody from Norn Iron won Gold for Britain. So nobody from Norn Iron gets to be on a British stamp. And no Gold post box in Coleraine. The unionists (and lets get alongerists) would have really gone triumphant with that (thru no fault of the athletes themselves). Of course had Paddy Barnes from North Belfast or Michael Conlan from West Belfast actually won a Gold Medal, every postbox in the nationalist parts of North and West Belfast would have been painted Gold…just to annoy the unionists. No permission would have been sought from the Post Office.
And the Belfast boxers went close (two Bronze) but obviously winning Gold for Ireland would not have entitled Belfast boxers to be on a BRITISH stamp.
Which brings us to the Paralympics. Most Norn Iron Paralympians were on the Irish team. Jason Smyth from Eglinton in County Derry won two Golds with two World Records in the 100 and 200 metres for the Visually Impaired. Michael McKillop from Glengormley in County Antrim won two Golds in 800 metres and 1500 metres. Bethany Firth a swimmer from Seaforde in County Down also won a Gold Medal. For Ireland.
Jason Smyth……a little tongue in cheek “tweeted” that he would like a gold Post Box. Many including myself re-tweeted it and the BRITISH Post Office has agreed to three “honoury” gold boxes in Eglinton, Glengormley and Seaforde.
Nationalists will look on this as a major victory. Such is the nature of life in Norn Iron. The principle that there is parity of esteem for people born in Norn Iron to act as Irish or British has been further established.
And Unionists wont really like it. Norn Iron’s three gold boxes are to honour athletes who represented Ireland.
Keeping An Eye On the Czar of Russia 
Whats the chances of a Bloggerati stamp issue?
Wasn’t it excellent news! I think the Royal Mail, or should I say, I feel that the Royal Mail is one of those British entities that has been accepted by both sides of the divide here in the North and as such, even though it’s a British organisation it usually sits nicely above the fray (so to speak).
So, when they said no to golden post boxes for Irish Paralympians I think a lot of people were quite rightly miffed and thought it was rather petty on the part of the Royal Mail. They fortunately listened or more probably, were bullied into making a u turn.
Now I’m off to West Belfast with a paint brush and tin seeing as you have given me an idea on a boring Thursday night; don’t think I won’t do it!
I honestly think that a Post Office……the institution ……and in any nation is one of the great civilising things in the World. The Universal Postal Union is the governing body (so to speak) for the worlds post offices. And their treaties are fascinating. It is truly marvellous that I can post a letter in Dublin and it will be delived anywhere in the World. Belfast is a slightly different proposition because I think there might be one or two places where British mail has to go thru a third country.
Yet the treaties guarantee that mail gets thru.
And whats not to love about the Post Office? In the old days they delivered the giros and nowadays they deliver the Payment Protection Insurance cheque. 🙂
Couldn’t agree more seeing as I worked for RM for a summer and winter while at Uni; it was a great working environment for the type of job it was. Very well paid compared to others and the people enjoyed working there and took a pride in their job. Maybe it’s something to do with being treated with respect (imagine that? heaven fore fend!)
I hope you have put your PPI cheque to good use (do a holiday to Puerto Rico with Mrs FJH, BA does a flight straight from Gatwick, live it up a little and see Old San Juan :))
Oh I was joking about PPI. LOl
Well, I would still recommend you and Mrs FJH going to Puerto Rico, as I would recommend it to all and sundry. I had the great pleasure of being there 2 Easters ago as it was a 30 minute flight from where I was working at the time (all suggestions as to where I lived and worked more than welcome as part of a Friday afternoon game!)
FC,
For some peculiar reason your last post was in “pending” for a while. But usually all the comments from regulars get published right away.
I dont understand why. Maybe youre on a different puter or not in your own house?
I’m up at Mammy FC’s up in the Glens, right by the sea, reading some Niall Ferguson who, when not talking about current economics or politics, is quite interesting which may explain the trouble experienced.
Also, been having a bit of fun commenting on Ian Parsley’s page today. Topic of discussion; Why are Nationalists more confident than Unionists? It has a lot of what I go on to describe as half baked, half assed, nonsensical ideas where the conclusion being drawn is that the current arrangement is as good as it gets for Nats; why would you want a UI? Needless to say, I have been somewhat robust, maybe even a tad aggressive with my convictions, but I enjoy it nonetheless
FC,
Can anyone join in? :-))
Of course BD, the more the merrier!
Now, I have to admit, I may be somewhat trenchant in my views, but they are my views, just I could perhaps phrase them somewhat better or in a more congenial, friendly tone.
I will give him some credit where it is due, he does at least try to engage on points made, though I will say that he has in our instance inferred points or logic I have never implied, though as you all know, I would not hesitate in either correcting someone if this were done or just plain old argue with them 🙂