Major credit card manufacturers Mastercard, American Express and Visa announced this past week that it would implement a new vendor code from the International Organization for Standardization that would be specific to gun vendors. This would do away with gun purchases being categorized as “sporting goods” or “miscellaneous,” making them easier to track as a result.
However, this also gives credit card companies the right to report any kind of “suspicious” gun purchases to law enforcement. The real question that remains is just how they would mark these as “suspicious.”
This brings up the possibility of the rights of private gun owners being infringed upon, almost like an invasion of privacy. For that matter, some, including the Cowboy State Daily, have already advised that it’s better to purchase cash with guns as a result.
“Where legal issues might come into play is if the banks or credit card companies stopped allowing their cardholders to make purchases from gun stores,” said George Mocsary, who serves as law professor at the University of Wyoming, and also supports Second Amendment rights. “That would be a problem.”
Here to speak to us about the potential consequences of such a credit card code is a spokesperson from the 2nd Amendment Foundation. Their perspective on Second Amendment rights should prove useful with this particular topic.
Q&A:
- How much do you believe credit card companies could be infringing upon the rights of private gun owners with this move?
- If a credit card company steps in after seeing “questionable” gun purchases on someone’s account, do you think legal action could follow as a result?
- Why do you believe the credit card companies did this? In response to active shooter events? Or something else?
- What do you think about the advice regarding using cash to purchase guns at events and stores?
- What do you believe is the proper route to take when it comes to keeping guns from getting in the wrong hands?
- Where can we learn more about the Second Amendment Foundation and its members?
- Those interested can visit http://www.saf.org/.
Second Amendment Foundation spokespersons available to be your guest:
ABOUT CHRIS CHENG (In Pacific Time)
Chris Cheng serves on the advisory council to the Second Amendment Foundation’s Board of Trustees. He is the History Channel’s Top Shot Season 4 Champion and author of the book “Shoot to Win.” Cheng is an Asian D&I advocate in the gun community, a former Google employee who went from self-taught amateur to pro shooter.
ABOUT CAM EDWARDS (In Eastern Time)
Cam Edwards is the editor at Bearing Arms-dot-com and hosts the popular podcast Cam & Company that focuses on Second Amendment news and information. Cam is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and has worked in radio, television, and online media for over two decades. He currently lives on a small farm with his family near Farmville, Virginia, and is a member of the board of Citizens Committee to Keep and Bear Arms.
ABOUT MARK WALTERS (in Eastern Time):
Mark Walters is a member of the board of directors for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. As a nationally syndicated host of two talk radio programs, Armed American Radio and Armed American Radio’s Daily Defense, Mark is heard on hundreds of stations weekly across the country. Mark is the co-founder of Armed American News and the recipient of the 2015 “Gun Rights Defender of the Year award.” In addition, Mark Walters is co-author of three books, including Lessons from Armed America, Lessons from Unarmed America, and Grilling While Armed.
ABOUT LEE WILLIAMS (In Eastern Time)
Lee Williams is also known as The Gun Writer and has been writing about the Second Amendment, firearms, the firearms industry, and the gun culture for more than ten years. He is the Chief Editor of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Reporting Project and is a frequent contributor to Ammoland News and Armed American Radio. In addition, Lee serves as a board member of Florida Carry, Inc. He was also an editor for a daily newspaper in Florida. Before becoming a newspaper editor, Lee was an investigative reporter in three states and a U.S. Territory. Before becoming a journalist, he worked as a police officer. Before becoming a cop, Lee served in the Army. Lee has earned more than a dozen national journalism awards as a reporter and three medals of valor as a police officer.
ABOUT DAVE WORKMAN (In Pacific Time):
Dave Workman is an award-winning career journalist and senior editor of TheGunMag.com. He writes for Liberty Park Press, Conservative Firing Line, and is communications director for the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He has authored Op-Ed pieces in several major newspapers, including the Chicago Tribune, Seattle Times, and Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and co-authored seven books with Second Amendment Foundation Alan Gottlieb. Workman’s beat is firearms, from politics to the outdoors. He is widely considered an authority on firearms, concealed carry, and gun politics.
The Second Amendment Foundation (www.saf.org) is the nation’s oldest and largest tax-exempt education, research, publishing, and legal action group focusing on the Constitutional right and heritage to privately own and possess firearms. Founded in 1974, The Foundation has grown to more than 700,000 members and supporters and conducts many programs designed to better inform the public about the consequences of gun control.
CONTACT: To schedule an interview, contact Jerry McGlothlin of Special Guests PR Agency at 919-437-0001 or jerry.specialguests@gmail.com
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