Political office

[Heirbyadoption]

So delivering the mail is now tantamount to dropping the atomic bomb?

Not at all. Maybe re-read my post, I suggested nothing of the sort. I was simply referring to your implied argument / line of thought in your response to KenSylvania. Nothing more.

Consequently it is up to the public (through their legislatures) to determine what is appropriate and inappropriate content that can be mailed....And if you choose to work for the Postal Service you are agreeing to abide by those laws and not substitute your own judgement as to what is appropriate and inappropriate to be sent by mail. If that is something you can't do then clearly it is not the right job for you.

I agree 100%. Seems like KenSylvania was agreeing that wasn't a job for him, based on deliveries he felt he couldn't conscientiously be part of delivering. Again, I was simply questioning why the seemingly implications in your response which seemed to be pitting "delivering critical meds to shut-ins" against his conviction to not be an active part of helping others obtain pornography through the postal service.

[temporal1]

So delivering the mail is now tantamount to dropping the atomic bomb?

There’s reasonable question.
For those who reject Christian perspective, a basic university class in anthropology might introduce the concept.

[temporal1]

And that, my friend, is why I won't take a job as a mail carrier. Because part of the job involves delivering wicked material to people. I don't think Jesus would be pleased if I took a job delivering poison just because another part of the job involves delivering life-saving medication.

USPS isn’t the only delivery system, it’s likely more will follow what exists today.

[ken_sylvania]

I'm simply pointing out that the mail service is a PUBLIC service and. The Post Office is, in fact, the only government agency that is actually authorized and mandated by name in the Constitution. Consequently it is up to the public (through their legislatures) to determine what is appropriate and inappropriate content that can be mailed. There are laws about what can and cannot be sent through the Postal Service. And if you choose to work for the Postal Service you are agreeing to abide by those laws and not substitute your own judgement as to what is appropriate and inappropriate to be sent by mail.

If that is something you can't do then clearly it is not the right job for you.

Yea, that was kind of the point I was making.

[ohio jones]

So delivering the mail is now tantamount to dropping the atomic bomb?

Air mail, special delivery.

[Ken]

I'm simply pointing out that the mail service is a PUBLIC service and. The Post Office is, in fact, the only government agency that is actually authorized and mandated by name in the Constitution. Consequently it is up to the public (through their legislatures) to determine what is appropriate and inappropriate content that can be mailed. There are laws about what can and cannot be sent through the Postal Service. And if you choose to work for the Postal Service you are agreeing to abide by those laws and not substitute your own judgement as to what is appropriate and inappropriate to be sent by mail.

If that is something you can't do then clearly it is not the right job for you.

Yea, that was kind of the point I was making.

The point I am making is that the Post Office is a crucial service that millions of people depend on in their daily lives. For everything from medications to their daily livelihood. And I believe it is a good thing that we have such a public service in this country.

Commercial shipping of junk mail and packages (Amazon etc.) is what subsidizes the essential service that many (especially in rural areas) rely on. If you get rid of the commercial side of the business that ships the stuff you disapprove of, then the price of essential services like first class letters and medication will double or triple.

[ken_sylvania]

I'm simply pointing out that the mail service is a PUBLIC service and. The Post Office is, in fact, the only government agency that is actually authorized and mandated by name in the Constitution. Consequently it is up to the public (through their legislatures) to determine what is appropriate and inappropriate content that can be mailed. There are laws about what can and cannot be sent through the Postal Service. And if you choose to work for the Postal Service you are agreeing to abide by those laws and not substitute your own judgement as to what is appropriate and inappropriate to be sent by mail.

If that is something you can't do then clearly it is not the right job for you.

Yea, that was kind of the point I was making.

The point I am making is that the Post Office is a crucial service that millions of people depend on in their daily lives. For everything from medications to their daily livelihood. And I believe it is a good thing that we have such a public service in this country.

Commercial shipping of junk mail and packages (Amazon etc.) is what subsidizes the essential service that many (especially in rural areas) rely on. If you get rid of the commercial side of the business that ships the stuff you disapprove of, then the price of essential services like first class letters and medication will double or triple.

I didn't know that the USPS had a separate division to ship the kind of things I disapprove of.

[Soloist]

It seems to me that arguing that it’s okay because of the essential nature of the job is missing the core objection.
It’s similar to arguing that the military is okay because it is essential for the well-being of millions. After all the majority of them will never have to kill anyone.

[Josh]

I don’t see a problem at all with refusing to deliver pornography to people’s houses.

I am also baffled why delivering prescriptions to people in very remote rural areas requires also delivering pornography to people’s houses. The two don’t seem connected at all. And yes, the post office can and does regulate what it delivers.

[Ken]

I don’t see a problem at all with refusing to deliver pornography to people’s houses.

I am also baffled why delivering prescriptions to people in very remote rural areas requires also delivering pornography to people’s houses. The two don’t seem connected at all. And yes, the post office can and does regulate what it delivers.

The Postal Service is essentially a non-profit with enormous fixed costs. The more commercial business they do, they lower they can keep rates. It is simple economics.

So in a very real way, the porn you are complaining about along with all the other junk mail, amazon packages, and so forth, is subsidizing the rates for everyone else. Get rid of all that commercial junk mail and you have to fill the gap with taxes or higher rates.

In any event, I seriously doubt that porn constitutes a very large portion of the mail volume. Maybe 25-50 years go it was more. But with the internet, most printed porn mags like Playboy have been struggling or going out of business. Playboy stopped publication in 2020, for example. So no more Playboy in the mail. And I expect the circulation numbers for all the others have fallen through the floor as well.