As a nation, we have agreed that companies do not have an unlimited right to send us spam, or to send us junk faxes. But somehow, we can’t get our heads around the idea that merely paying (pennies per item) for “the right” should allow companies to waste incredible amounts of paper, and put the onus on the recipient to either recycle it, or dump it as trash.

I don’t support burial or burning as a better alternative, and I’m damned glad that Steve isn’t my mail carrier. If he were a real hero, he’d have tipped his customers off about ways to get off junk mail lists (see http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/ ) instead of taking that choice upon himself. But the requirements to retire with any sort of pension from the postal service are becoming mighty draconian. I have watched small postmen and women in their late 60’s struggling with bags that can’t possibly be below the mandated maximum weight limits. No car, not enough intermediate “drops,” and long routes in sub-freezing weather, 6 days a week.

Steve the mail carrier is no hero and it doesn’t please me that he didn’t have to fork over a pittance of the losses that he caused for god knows how many worthy organizations.

This campaign should probably be put to the side rather than advertised as a succcess story. If someone doesn’t want 3rd class mail…. they simply write to the appropriate authorities to be taken off it.

If on the one hand, they wish to support Steve for some of the mitigating factors in the case, such as his health issues, that’s all well and good. But if their support is for his admitted diverting of lawfully sent and paid-for 3rd-class mail, that’s another matter entirely. Mailchimp’s actions are tantamount to supporting police officers who refuse to enforce unpopular laws out of conscience.