my lame paranoia about postal workers

[freeplessinseattle]

this is being very untrusting and neurotic sounding, but seriously the thought crossed my mind today after greeting the postman, who was parked right behind my car proudly displaying pro-Kerry stickers. He gave me no reason to think he'd be offended by my bumperstickers, and he seems like a genuinely nice person, and I get a good "vibe'. but the thought crossed my mind, should I have put my absentee ballot outgoing at my building's mailbox, then chided myself for getting so neurotic. seriously though, I'm sure there are some people who would love to be in a position to try to tamper with ballots. I don't even know if it possible to say steam open the ballots and close back up the * ballots and toss out the Kerry ballots. but if that's possible, and a postal worker is whacko and unethical enough (not t9o stereotype at all, but remember when slang for freaking out was "going postal" because of all the postal employee shootings. anyway, I doubt that most people would even consider it or be able to pull it off, at least not before before struck by a lightening bolt from god's angry fist (I'm not religous but this sounds like something * would say)

have I completely gone over the edge?

[Kilroy003]

1. It's tough to say sometimes.

So far I've paid for 2 copies of Uncovered, The Truth about the Iraq War. Although the organization I ordered them from claims to have tried twice to send them to me, I have not yet received any, causing me to become somewhat suspicious of mail system. I asked my Dad about it (he works at the Post Office). He said it was possible that the mailman took them. If the mailman did, I hope he watched it.

[lady raven]

2. I understand.

I can understand your paranoia. I had an incident, actually. My absentee ballot never came, but the Mister's did. I called and they said they sent them both the same day. It was getting a little close for comfort, so 2 weeks ago they sent me an affidavit to sign and send in stating that I never got my ballot so I could get a replacement. The second came, no sweat. I know my mailman didn't have anything to do with it. I don't know his political views, but I know him well enough to trust him. I personally think it was snatched out of my mailbox.

I think the climate right now with the election is a bit paranoia- inducing. Hang in there and I bet you'll feel better next week!

[lizzie]

3. From the P.O. side...

I worked for the Postal Service for 20 years and my husband just retired 8/01 with 33 years service. I did many jobs, as did he, but his last was delivering mail. I can explain "going postal", I assure you! Working for the P.O. is worse than being in the military! To the ballot issue. We both voted by absentee, we live now quite literally in the forest. I drove the ballots to the Elections Department at the County, about 25 miles away. (I was going past there anyway, but still I am paranoid about this election too!) My only fear was something getting caught in equipment or left in a bag. Things to go astray. But, I never for a minute thought our ballots were in any danger from a Postal employee. Let me assure you Letter Carriers are so regimented these days they would not have TIME to mess with mail! There are even bar codes on buildings on their routes that they have to scan to let management check on their time at any given point on their route. Clerks are just plain hounded by management to do everything faster, management runs the post office always short handed and on the verge of disaster! That aside, my husband and I were both union stewards. I would say most postal employees are union, and the AFL-CIO is backing Kerry. It would be a Federal offense to tamper with or destroy a ballot, and I just don't see it happening. In our long experience with the Postal Service (and I worked for a brief time for the Postal Inspectors as well) we saw very little theft. Employees can be fired for taking even an undeliverable magazine. I know in Florida there is a claim of absentee ballots being mailed and not delivered and the Postal Inspectors are already involved saying they were never received at the Postal facility. Blame it on the Postal Service has been a long tradition, you know, the check is in the mail! Postal employees are not permitted in general to discuss politics with customers because they are Federal employees. (Just before my hubby retired he freely engaged some of his customers and the consensus was Bush must go!!!) I would bet your carrier just might be a Kerry supporter! If your carrier is not on a dead run, you might make an off hand comment about the election and worrying about the Florida missing ballots, you might get some input or a comment to ease your mind. We as Postal employees always got a bad wrap, and I tell you most of the time it was not deserved. Even now when we are mailed things that do not arrive and companies claim they sent the items, we challenge them and it has yet to really be the P.O.'s fault. I honestly believe you can trust the people at the post office, as I said my only worry is the machinery! For all I know the absentee ballots are being hand sorted because of their size. I do know special attention is given to them. Just another note: Postal employees already have the health care plan Kerry wants for everyone...the same group of government plans as his...we even have his exact plan! What's not to like?????

[lady raven]

4. that's great!

I hope this will help make some people feel better.

In my case, I'm sure it was someone just dicking with my mailbox. After my divorce, my ex husband used to "spy" on me sometimes by messing with my mail. I couldn't prove it, though, darn it. But I did catch him once. I'm more paranoid about that than about my carrier.

Besides, my carrier's a really nice guy, and he's as friendly as ever, even though I can assure you that he definitely knows where my political leanings are!

[lizzie]

5. Does your car look like mine????

The country is a tough place to live...mostly really hard headed Repub gun toten' idiots! I was afraid to put on a bumper sticker...so hell, I put them everywhere, on the back, sides, front. I think they are afraid to mess with me because only a crazy person would be a moving billboard against the war, Bush, pro peace, and FOR KERRY! Haven't had any attacks!!! Confuse them with too much information!

[freeplessinseattle]

6. Thank you

yes, I've heard from my friend's dad how stressful and regimented the place is, but there's always a few bad apples in every profession. I''m going to school to be a counselor and get so offended when people tell me they don't trust counselors b/c of some lurid story on the news, or first or second hand experience, but statistically there's got to be a few bad apples inn nearly every profession-reading through the DSM it is striking how many disorders are arount 1-2% of the population, so added up-even accounting for multiple diagnoses-maybe around 10 or so percent of the population is suffering from a mental disorder/emotional challenges. I think I may be slipping into a stress-induced paranoid schizophrenic phase here. but to tell you the truth I was more worried about the tenants in my building, they all seem really nice, but I'm the only one with signs in my windows...course if they did care I guess they'd have * signs, then again half the building looks out on an alley.

I don't think Seattle's the place to be that worried about, though, fortunately. I am so grateful to live here, let me tell you.

[T Bone]

7. The NALC endorsed Kerry for President

The National Association of Letter Carriers has endorsed Kerry for President. However I always mail ALL my outgoing mail at a corner postal box where a truck picks it up or at a box or window at the post office itself. Where you mailed it from not only could the individual mailman tamper (which is highly unlikely) but your freeper neighbor could say, 'oh an absentee going out from that DUer, I can take that down to the corner box for them.'

[soothsayer]

8. Postal employees take an oath, so they're very loyal to their jobs, plus

the postal inspectors put the fear of God in 'em.

[July]

9. Postal workers know very well the importance of their work.

And they know what those inspectors can do.

I know a USPS manager, and she's always telling me her latest anecdote about a ruffled customer who was told by a company that a payment wasn't received on time because of the USPS and then learned after the manager's investigation that the holdup was on the company's end (delay in processing). It's a handy little scam for companies and feeds the misperception that the USPS is a bunch of loons and screwups. Really frosts my friend's ass every time it happens.