The Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania - Forum

I am sick and tired of unsolicited junk mail.  It's horribly wasteful, because I have NEVER accepted an offer from ANY mail solicitation.

I thought I had a right to privacy?

First:  Why am I required by law to even HAVE a mailbox?

Second:  Why does anyone have a right to fill that mailbox full of GARBAGE?!?!  If I was to take these two bags of shredded junk mail, and dump them on the steps of the post office, I would be fined for littering.  Yet these soliciters can put their garbage in my mailbox?

I contacted all my federal sentors and representatives on this matter.  I should have saved a copy of what I wrote, because it was a far better-written rant than this thread.  But I suppose when there's a war going on, and everyone terrified about the economy, my privacy and the environmental impact of all that wasted paper aren't much of a concern.

I did some research to see what I could do to reduce the amount of junk I get.  I found some folks offering to protect my privacy for a fee.  Great.  I should have to PAY someone to protect my constitutional rights, when we have a government whose job it is to that?

So, what is the Libertarian solution to this problem?  Should or should not the government protect our privacy?  Would it be such a horrible intrusion of government simply to outlaw unsolicited commercial mailing?

klapton,

Several years ago, I rented a post office box where people who rented a property from me could send their monthly rent.  The thought was I could stop at the post office once a month to get the rent from the P.O. box.  The first time I went to check the mail, I learned what a months worth of junk mail looked like.  Throughout the month, the post office continued to stuff advertisements, many addressed to resident, in the po box until it reached a point that they could no longer squeeze in another document.  I had an equally hard time pulling documents out and many were torn coming out of the box.

I asked the post office if they could stop stuffing the box with junk mail.  I pointed out that I get mail addressed to resident at my house, and I didn't need a second copy in a po box I rented.   They insisted that all junk mail had to go into the po box.  For six months, I had to make weekly trips to the post office to pull the junk out of the po box.  I would sift through the junk to assure there was no mail crammed into the center of the mess and then discard the junk. After the six month rental, I closed the box and told the renters to mail it to my house.

Having said all of that, there are things that can be done to reduce junk mail if you have the time.  This web site (http://www.obviously.com/junkmail/) list some of them. The Today Show web site (http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/18530707/) has some good ideas as well.

I hate junk, especially when it is from a company I do business with.  It is unlikely that an overdraft notice from my bank will get the prompt attention it deserves, when my bank is sending six or more junk solicitations each month.  I have the same problem with my insurance providers.

I hope that helps.

David Jahn

I had the same problem with our local LP PO Box -- they verbally refused to stop stuffing it with junk, but fortunately people here in Pittsburgh use their common sense, and over the past year or so they've stopped doing it.

Having said that, I don't know why you'd go thru the trouble of shredding true junk mail.  The only potential problem would be credit card solicitations with your name on them.

And, with regard to the philosophical question, I don't think you have any more right to demand the Post Office stop delivering what you consider junk into your mailbox, than you do in preventing other people from knocking on your door, traveling freely, etc.  The right of free association entitles them to approach you.  Once you make it clear you're not interested, continued approaches on their part would seem, to me, to constitute harassment.

Finally, there's another website that will allow you to cut down on unwanted catalog mailings at home (or elsewhere): http://www.catalogchoice.org/

I'll have to check out the site Dave posted (obviously.com/junkmail).

--Harold Kyriazi

On my property I can put up fences and post no-tresspassing signs.  My phone number is unlisted.  I am on the "do not call list" for telephone solicitations (a WONDERFUL example of similar government-sponsored protection from harassment.)  With a click of a button I can block email spammers.

Why not my mail?

If it helps, I know there is somewhere you can sign up to have unsolicited Credit Card AND junk mail stopped.  I'll look for the website and when I find it I'll post it.  It has stopped a tremendous amount of junk mail.  It's similar to the "do not call" website.

Found it - Link (https://www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi)

Thanks Tck -- I signed up for the opt-out as well.

A fun thing that I've done in the past for the credit card offers...  I write on the application, "PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM ALL MAILING LISTS", include anything else they sent me and stuff it all in the return envelope, and send it back.  I only really do this if the company send a pre-paid or postage-paid envelope with their offer.

Not only do you let them know you want off their lists, buy they also have to pay for you to send the notification back to them.  It's a Win/Win situtation :-)   And it's cut down on my junk mail by probably 50%.  I also call companies that send me unsolicited catalogs, again using their toll-free number, so they are again paying to be notified.  To me, it's worth the couple of minutes to sort thru everything, plus I add very little to my trash, and hardly anything to shred.

Send them a brick!  ;D

http://officeofstrategicinfluence.com/bulkmailer/ (http://officeofstrategicinfluence.com/bulkmailer/)

Whoa...if you've got extra bricks laying around, you can just start sending them to me!

I've got some rocks and two used SAT books. :) Anything that's a good, non-living paper weight will do fine.