The U.S. Post Office currently has a Celebrate the Century Commemorative Stamp Panel series, which features historic people and events from the 1900s through the 1920s. Evidently, this organization felt the need to skip the intervening half-century and issued a ballot to determine the most significant people and events of the 1970s. I would never suggest that I'm the most important product of the 70's, but I think it's unfair that the Post Office hasn't let the American people decide that.
Now, I should say that the ballot allows you to vote for up to three items in each category. I should tell you to pick up your own copy of the ballot at your local post office and vote before September 30, 1998. I should say all of this, but instead I'm going to make fun of the Post Office picks.
First, the category People and Events lists the Women's Rights Movement, Watergate, Earth Day, the Oil Shortage, the Opening of China, and the American Bicentennial. I note that the Vietnam War isn't listed, even though it lasted from 1954 until its conclusion in 1975. The U.S. cease-fire came in 1973, after over 58,000 Americans lost their lives. It must have slipped their mind to include it because of the overwhelming, long-lasting effects of Earth Day. I would wager that 95% of people today can tell you the Vietnam War happened. I couldn't tell you when Earth Day is if you held a gun to my head.
The ballot describes the Opening of China in this manner, "After more than two decades of mutual hostility . . . President Richard M. Nixon visited the People's Republic in February 1972. This was quickly followed by two more decades of mutual hostility. The only items I completely agreed with were the Bicentennial and the Women's Rights Movement.
The Arts and Entertainment section had me scratching my head. On the one hand, Sesame Street, PBS and NPR, and A Chorus Line are all great achievements. On the other hand, what in the world is the Spiral Jetty? Has this sculpture, which sticks out of the Great Salt Lake like a crazy straw, ever inspired someone to be a meaningful member of society? And how can the U.S. Government, with a straight face, describe "The Godfather" as a family saga? Don't get me wrong, I love this movie. But I think that Star Wars had a more lasting impression on the American psyche and on American cinematography.
I couldn't find any redeeming qualities in the Sports category. The Pittsburgh Steelers apparently used to be a football team, before sinking into obscurity. Soccer and tennis also became big in the 70's, so big that no professional soccer league has any significant fan base and most of us can't name any tennis star who's not named Andre.
The Science and technology category had only one true star, the VCR. In a recent survey 90% of those polled said the VCR is the invention that has most improved their lives. It's certainly helped more than Pioneer 10, a space probe that went past Jupiter and hasn't been heard from since. It's more fascinating than jumbo jets, which have a nasty habit of plummeting out of the sky.
The Lifestyle section had, of course, the Smiley Face, an inspiration to a new generation of doped up teens. It also included 1970s fashion and Disco, two elements of the 70s we'd just as soon forget. I'm going to vote on these stamps even though I don't remember much of this decade. I'm sure some of you wished you didn't remember the 70s. At any rate, I hope you'll take all of the marvelous advances of the 70's and put them to good use. Go play tennis on a jumbo jet in hot pants and platform shoes.