Atheist Group Sues Postal Service Over Papal Postmark
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SAN ANTONIO — An atheist group has sued the U.S. Postal Service, claiming a plan to issue a special one-day postmark in commemoration of the Pope’s U.S. tour in September shows governmental favoritism to “one Judeo-Christian sect.”
The suit by the Austin-based Society of Separationists and its San Antonio representative asks a federal judge to enjoin the Postal Service from using a hand-stamped cancellation of mail in each city Pope John Paul II visits.
The hand-canceling stamp will carry an imprint with the phrase, “The Visit of Pope John Paul II” and “Papal Visit Station.”
Atheist spokesman Jon Murray, son of noted atheist leader Madalyn Murray O’Hair, said a special postage cancellation has never been used before to commemorate the visit of any dignitary or head of state.
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