Now Available: Harriet Tubman Stamp

In 2016, the Obama administration announced plans to replace the image on the $20 bill from former President Andrew Jackson to underground railroad hero Harriet Tubman.

The change was supposed to go into effect in 2020, the 100th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage. But recently Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, told a congressional committee that the stamp’s debut would be delayed until 2026, citing the development of new security features. That leaves open the question of the redesign to a future Administration. Mnuchin claims that political considerations were not a factor, but current and former Treasury Department officials have said the bill’s postponement is to avoid the possibility that Donald Trump might cause an uproar by cancelling it all together.

Across the nation, Americans don’t have to wait to have a Tubman bill.

Now available to all is the Harriet Tubman stamp, although not from the United States Postal Service. New York designer Dano Wall has created a do-it-yourself, single-color ink stamps with Tubman’s face to replace that of Jackson, directly onto the bill. They are sold on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, and other places.

Putting someone’s face on money is not considered defacing money, as the only things which constitute defacing money are cutting up a bill, putting two bills together, poking holes through the bill, or doing anything for the purpose of not being able to use the bill again.

Guest – Dano Wall, a New York City designer.

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Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs and Trolls.

In January 2019 New York State passed a bill to outlaw “revenge porn,” joining 41 other states that have passed similar laws. Revenge Porn is the term for the non-consensual sharing on the Internet of sexually explicit photographs or videos. Victims say it can be as damaging as any other form of abuse, but without the legal protections.

Private images can follow victims for years, turning up when employers or romantic partners search for their names on the Internet.

But in New York, victims have experienced years of helplessness in the courts. Prosecutors could not charge offenders for a practice that was not illegal, and judges turned down appeals for help on the grounds of free speech, even while other states were enacting protections. Under New York’s new law, offenders can be punished by up to one year in jail.

The law also allows victims to sue the person who shared the revenge porn, which about a dozen other states also allow. And it would be the first in the nation to allow judges to order websites or social media platforms — in addition to the original poster — to take down the photos or videos.

Most have heard about high-profile instances of sexual images as blackmail or revenge have involving the rich and famous, such as singer Rihanna and actor Jennifer Lawrence. But it affects millions of people, from middle school students to Marines. As many as 10 million Americans have been victims of revenge porn.

Guest – New York Attorney Carrie Goldberg started a law firm to focus on defending victims of the practices. She has just come out with her first book titled Nobody’s Victim: Fighting Psychos, Stalkers, Pervs and Trolls.

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