The John Basilone Stamp

My fellow Americans seem to have a thirst for military heroes. Never mind the war in Iraq. For years, folks in New Jersey have been pushing for the Postal Service to honor John Basilone, a Garden State Marine who fought in World War II and was the only Marine to win the Medal of Honor; he was killed at Iwo Jima. He became famous for his role in wiping out an entire Japanese regiment at Guadalcanal, winning his Medal of Honr for his heroism.

Basilone fought for his country and for freedom, but some folks in New Jersey seem to want to play up his role as a one-man killing machine - an Italian-American John Wayne, as it were. Italian-Americans have often been peeved at who has made it on a stamp before Basilone - Malcolm X, for example. Or Paul Robeson. You know, black guys with unorthodox political ideas, even though Malcolm X renounced black nationalism and Robeson admitted he was wrong about the Soviet Union. But like the late Ossie Davis, who was acquainted with both of them, they remained champions for human rights, which was enough to earn them commemoration on U.S. stamps.

This year, John Basilone will get his stamp as part of the four-stamp Distinguished Marines issue. But even though Basilone is admired and is being commemorated for his bravery and loyalty to his country, and deservedly so, is it really sensible to play up his role as a "killing machine?"