Before the Post Office had been eagerly weaponized into being part of a criminal conspiracy to undermine democracy in the United States, it had been a highly respected institution in American life. I live near the Boston Post Road. The colonial road was used by Founding Fathers headed towards Philadelphia. Lafayette used it when he returned the United States in 1824 which was recreated in 2024-2025 as part of his bicentennial.

Here are some positive images of the Post Office before its leaders became wanted posters displayed in their very buildings,

The Merry Mailman

Ray Heatherton first appeared as The Merry Mailman on October 16, 1950, independent station WOR Channel 9. He had first used the character on his 1938 children’s records. The show was broadcast daily and Saturday before a studio audience. The show included games, songs, stories, craftmaking, hobbies, comedy, puppet skits, magic tricks, interviews with guest performers and personalities, and informational segments. Cartoons were interspersed with the live segments including Crusader Rabbit, the first made-for-TV animated series. It ran until 1956. So if you were a boomer in the New York metropolitan area, Ray Heatherton, the Merry Mailman, was part of your life. And if you lived in one of the new suburbs in Westchester and Long Island, you had your own mailman making regular deliveries.

Cliff Clavin

Everybody knew his name. John Ratzenberger was part of an all-star ensemble in the long-running show Cheers on must-see TV on Thursday nights on NBC from 1982 to 1993. The show like its contemporaries “Friends” and “Seinfeld” made diners and bars famous.

If you had a question, Cliff Clavin had an answer. Even if you didn’t have a question, Cliff Clavin had an answer, And it could be a long one as he regaled the regular characters with an unending stream of trivia and anecdotes.

He appeared in an episode entitled “Please Mr. Postman.” The title comes from the Motown group, the Marvelettes. The song was a hit and was subsequently covered by the Beatles and the Carpenters. The song dates from a time when receiving a letter was a big deal. Imagine a time when people could read and write!

Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

The scene in this classic Christmas story is in the courtroom involving three main characters:

Fred Gailey, the lawyer defending the sanity of a man claiming to be Kris Kringle
Henry X Harper, the judge presiding over the case
Thomas Mara, the New York District Attorney.
Macy’s is still here with its parade but Gimbels is not. The time when cities had signature department stores is long gone. Here is the dialog and stage directions from the climatic scene.

Mr. Gailey:
I’d like to submit the following facts in evidence. It concerns the Post Office Department…
an official agency of the United States government.
“The Post Office Department was created…”by the Second Continental Congress…”on July 26, 1776. The first postmaster general was Benjamin Franklin. The Post Office Department is one of the largest business concerns in the world. Last year, under Robert Hannigan it did a gross business of $1,112,877,174.

Mr. Mara:
Your honor. We’re all gratified to know the Post Office is doing nicely but it hardly has any bearing on this case.

Mr. Gailey:
It has a great deal, Your Honor, if I may be allowed to proceed.

Judge Harper:
By all means, Mr. Gailey.

Mr. Gailey:
Your Honor, the figures I have just quoted indicate an efficiently run organization.
United States postal laws and regulations make it a criminal offense to wilfully misdirect mail or intentionally deliver it to the wrong party Consequently the Department uses every possible precaution.

Mr. Mara:
Your Honor. The State of New York is second to none in its admiration of the Post Office Department. It is efficient, authoritative, and prosperous. We are very happy to concede Mr Gailey’s claims.

Mr. Gailey:
For the record?

Mr. Mara:
For the record. Anything to get on with this case.

Mr. Gailey (producing letters addressed to Santa): Your Honor. Then I want to introduce these three pieces of evidence.

Mr. Mara:
I’ll take them, please.

Mr. Gailey:
I have here three letters addressed simply “Santa Claus.” No other address whatsoever. Yet these were just now delivered to Mr. Kringle by bona fide employees of the Post Office. I offer them as positive proof that…

Mr. Mara:
Uh, three letters are hardly positive proof. I understand the Post Office receives thousands of these letters every year.

Mr. Gailey:
I have further exhibits, but I hesitate to produce them.

Mr. Mara:
Oh, I’m sure we’ll be very happy to see them.

Judge Harper:
Yes, yes. Produce them, Mr. Gailey. Put them here on my desk.

Mr. Gailey:
But, Your Honor…

Judge Harper:
Put them here on the desk. Put them here.

Mr. Gailey:
Yes, sir.

Gailey beckons to the court bailiffs, and they turn and open the courtroom doors. A procession of officers carrying bags and bags of mail enter the courtroom, walk down to the Judge, and unload the bags, containing thousands of letters to Santa, onto the Judge’s bench. The courtroom erupts with laughter, the press flash their cameras, and Judge Harper pounds his gavel to restore order.

Mr. Gailey:
Your Honor! Your Honor!
Your Honor… every one of these letters is addressed to Santa Claus.
The Post Office has delivered them. Therefore, the Post Office, a branch of the federal government, recognizes this man, Kris Kringle, to be the one-and-only Santa Claus!

Judge Harper (clearing away the pile of letters heaped on his desk so he can be seen):
Since the United States government declares this man to be Santa Claus, this court will not dispute it.
Case dismissed.

The current Supreme Court similarly ruled “case closed” on the efforts to use the Post Office to steal the election. He doesn’t have enough confidence in the gerrymandering and voter suppression to accomplish the task. We should expect pictures of the easily weaponized Postmaster David Steiner, to appear in every post office building.