We all know guns are politically incorrect. But cash is king,...or at least,...it used to be.
For us gun people, things are always getting shat upon, and our sub-culture is always getting squeezed out of the mainstream juuuuuust a liiiiittle bit more all the time.First Craigslist banned guns and ammo, then Ebay. Then PayPal started refusing to process any transaction linked to guns. Then Chase started getting flakey about gun businesses who had accounts with them. And now,...Bank Of America.
For us gun folks, this has been something we've been dealing with increasing frequency for some years now. Guys who buy and sell anything related to guns themselves online and who transfer funds via PayPal have had to learn to make sure the word gun appears nowhere in the transaction notes or description. So when we hear about the next financial service or online marketplace refusing to have anything to do with guns, it is regrettable, but not exactly surprising.
One company just learned they are now persona non grata: McMillan International, based in Phoenix, Arizona. Makers of some of the best rifles and related gear in all the world, who's military sniper weapons have performed some of the longest successful combat shots on record.
Kelly McMillan, CEO, just posted an interesting account of a meeting he had the other day with a BofA Senior Vice-President of Business Banking who had set the meeting. I'll just let Kelly tell it.
"McMillan Fiberglass Stocks, McMillan Firearms Manufacturing,
McMillan Group International have been collectively banking with Bank of
America for 12 years. Today Mr. Ray Fox, Senior Vice President, Marlet
Manager, Business Banking, Global Commercial Banking came to my office.
He scheduled the meeting as an “account analysis” meeting in order to
evaluate the two lines of credit we have with them. He spent 5 minutes
talking about how McMillan has changed in the last 5 years and have
become more of a firearms manufacturer than a supplier of accessories.
At
this point I interrupted him and asked “Can I possibly save you some
time so that you don’t waste your breath? What you are going to tell me
is that because we are in the firearms manufacturing business you no
longer want my business.”
“That is correct” he says.
I replied
“That is okay, we will move our accounts as soon as possible. We can
find a 2nd Amendment friendly bank that will be glad to have our
business. You won’t mind if I tell the NRA, SCI and everyone one I know
that BofA is not firearms industry friendly?”
“You have to do what you must” he said.
“So you are telling me this is a politically motivated decision, is that right?”
Mr Fox confirmed that it was. At which point I told him that the meeting was over and there was nothing let for him to say.
I
think it is import for all Americans who believe in and support our 2nd
amendment right to keep and bare arms should know when a business does
not support these rights. What you do with that knowledge is up to you.
When I don’t agree with a business’ political position I can not in good
conscience support them. We will soon no longer be accepting Bank of
America credit cards as payment for our products.
Kelly D. McMillan
Director of Operations
McMillan Group International, LLC
623-582-9635
1638 W Knudsen Dr
Phoenix, Arizona 85027
McMillan Integrity-Global Vision
www.mcmillanusa.com"
