Remember September 11

Considering what a cataclysm the events of September 11 were it is surprising that the philatelic fallout has been so sparse. The USA released a 34c stamp showing the Stars and Stripes with the caption UNITED WE STAND and this now replaces the previous flag definitive. The Marshall Islands, a former US mandate and still very close to the Americans, has produced the finest tribute so far, a booklet containing a block of six 34c stamps and a single large $1. The 34c stamps feature inspirational inscriptions chiselled in highly polished black marble which, in turn, reflects an American flag. The stamps also include two of the country's best-known landmarks, the Statue of Liberty in New York and the Statue of Freedom which stands on top of the Capitol in Washington. The $1 stamp shows a panorama of fire-fighters, police, rescue workers, members of the armed forces and ordinary men, women and children, reflecting the ethnic diversity and solidarity of the American people.

The only other country to produce a stamp is the Cayman Islands which released a $1 stamp on January 22 showing the American and Cayman flags with the Statue of Liberty in the foreground. The caption simply states 'In Remembrance, September 11, 2001'. It is to be hoped that other countries will participate in this remembrance. Perhaps some may even depict the twin towers of the Trade Center which, strange to relate, never appeared on any American stamp.