Spain virtual signals with “equality” stamps, then proceeds to place lower value on darker stamps

Racism Score: 4.7

Spain’s postal service decided to throw their hat in the “embarrassing-performative-gesture” ring by launching limited-edition sets of skin-toned stamps. To be a fly on that wall in a room during that brainstorming session.

Correos Espana, the state-owned postal service issued a set of four stamps with different skin tones as a part of their anti-racist campaign. The postal service described them as “Equality Stamps.” The darker the stamp, the cheaper the price.

The lighter color costs $1.95 and the darkest color costs $0.85.

Pricing the darkest stamp with the lowest value is egregious. We cannot imagine a Black person was in the room when this decision was made.

The explanation behind the concept per the postal service was based on having to pay more for the white skin stamp and gradually less for the brown and black skin stamps as “a protest against a painful reality.”

The darker the stamp, the less value the stamp will have, therefore, when making a shipment it will be necessary to use more black stamps than white stamps. The idea is to make people “reflect on the inequality created by racism.” Illogical to say the least.

To add to the well-intentioned stupidity, the rollout of the stamps occurred on the anniversary of George Floyd being killed by a Minneapolis police officer which is terrible timing. Not that there would ever be a good time to launch this nonsense.

The postal service also said the stamps “reflect an unfair and painful reality that shouldn’t be allowed,” and the intent was for every parcel or letter to “send a message against racial inequality.”

A rational Black person in the room could have let them know what a horrible idea this was. The backlash was swift and the stamps will not be restocked.

The brown skin tone M&S used is awfully close to tobacco brown which is a questionable color because tabacco brown may trigger some people as we have seen in the past.