Monday marked the sixth anniversary of the marathon bombing that killed our young neighbor, Martin Richard, and injured and traumatized his family. It’s a tragedy that they have been compelled to share with the world— and they do it with a dignity and grace that is awe-inspiring.
This week, Bill Richard —Martin’s dad— launched a new effort aimed at memorializing Martin while also inspiring his fellow Americans to embrace the message that has become so linked to his legacy and that of the foundation in his name:
“No more hurting people – Peace.”
Martin created both a poster with these words and a peace sign in the months before his death while a student at the Neighborhood House Charter School here in Dorchester. When he was killed, the image of Martin holding the sign he made was seen across the world.
Now, his family has signed on to a novel idea: Make a version of Martin’s sign into a US postage stamp.
An online petition launched on Monday at Change.org asks the Citizens Stamp Advisory Commission (CSAC) to review the proposed stamp and to “make whatever exceptions are necessary to approve the issuance of a stamp that truly deserves to become part of America’s story.”
Their argument continues: “This image set the course, in the immediate days after a terrorist attack, toward a movement of hope, resilience, and peace that helped a city and nation move forward in support of those who most needed it rather than turn toward hate and anger of those that acted out the heinous attack. This is truly is a representative symbol of the American way.”
The organizers of the Martin Richard Peace Stamp petition acknowledge that rules guiding the 12-member commission in its review of submissions could pose significant hurdles to their proposal. First, the selection criteria seek to commemorate “positive contributions to American life, history, culture, and environment; therefore, negative occurrences and disaster will not be commemorated on US postage stamps or stationery.” Secondly, the commission does not consider photos or artwork for stamp designs.
In asking the commission to make an exception, the proponents— including the Richard family— make the case for Martin’s message as one that can, and should, be interpreted outside the strict context of the bombing event that claimed his life.
“We are asking the CSAC to view this in the positive light it is meant to be — a message of peace — through the lens of the most innocent among us — our children,” the organizers write in the petition.
Martin’s aspirational message is one that animates his family’s non-stop efforts to support like-minded efforts here in Boston and beyond.
On Monday, the 80-plus runners who made up this year’s Team MR8 in the Boston Marathon raised in excess of $624,000 for the foundation. In June, a new, inclusive waterfront park and playground named for Martin will open near the Children’s Museum in the Seaport. Next month, volunteers organized by the Martin Richard Foundation will fan out from the EMK Institute in Columbia Point to several work sites in Dorchester, where they will devote several hours to a spring service day helping others.
Also in May, the group will support the Mother’s Walk for Peace, an effort to support survivors of homicide organized by the Louis D. Brown Peace Institute, one of scores of local groups aided by the Martin Richard Foundation.
The constant churn of goodwill and good deeds generated by the Martin Richard Foundation underlines the strong case for a postage stamp in his name. Martin Richard is not defined by the horrible manner in which he was taken from us. Rather, thanks to his family’s heroism, he now stands for a virtue that transcends the awful scene of carnage on that horrific day six years ago. Martin’s message of peace seeks to build community and a more perfect union. It’s hard to think of a more worthy credo to immortalize on a US stamp.
If you would like to support the effort, a link to the Chang.org petition can be found online at DotNews.com. For more on the amazing works of the Martin Richard Foundation, go to teammr8.org.
– Bill Forry
