Opinion
Fayetteville, AR – -(AmmoLand.com)- I was raised hearing over and over the message that at some point in the not too distant future, people who wish to engage in economic activity will be required to receive the Mark-of-the-Beast. It’s been well over three decades since I believed this, but I do have to express some gratitude for an early introduction to the concept of totalitarianism and to the value of basic rights, be it the religion a person chooses that goes against the majority or the many other expressions of individuality that our nation protects in varying degrees.
And then along comes a petition that I ran across recently that reminds me that some people read books about dystopian futures and think, “that’s a good idea.”
An anonymous person has started a petition on the site, SumOfUs, related to the ability to buy guns and ammunition with credit cards. This petition, which comes with a content warning that the subject of gun violence will be discussed—akin to a peanut warning on a jar of peanuts—calls on credit card companies to freeze accounts that engage in “excessive, erratic gun and ammo purchases” and report them to law enforcement. The belief of the petition’s author is that such purchases indicate preparation to commit a mass shooting.
In my adventures in gun buying, I acquired a Short Magazine Lee Enfield No. 4 Mk.I several years ago and hurried off to the range. I was so pleased with it—including turning a deck of cards that had been left on the table into confetti—that I went back to the gun shop to get another copy of the same model, this one with a decent sporterizing addition of a scope on a rail.
Fortunately, my bank didn’t regard the purchase of two rifles and associated ammunition to be a case of erratic spending. Of course, the Smelly comes with a (currently) California-approved ten-round magazine.
If I had the tools and the time, I’d be tempted to work up a thirty rounder, even though the rimmed .303 cartridge would make that a challenge. But share with me for a moment the nerdy joy of hanging a banana magazine from a Lee Enfield and trying a Mad Minute.
Ignorance Or Contempt
The petition here once again illustrates either the ignorance or the contempt that gun control advocates have for those of us who own and shoot firearms. The logistics of a trip to the range could very well set off alarms among people who get twitchy about ordinary people being armed, since going through a couple hundred rounds is completely normal. And people who participate in competitions will regard that ammo quantity as “so cute”.
This petition isn’t precise about what excessive or erratic purchases might be, but even with carefully defined terms, the call for credit card companies to limit the exercise of a right is a bad idea. Without a clear distinction between preparations for a mass shooting and purchases for legal activities, this approach would result in so many false positives, drawing resources away from sound investigations.
There are good ways to anticipate a mass shooter’s plans. Would-be killers often show a building pattern of threats and violence. Those are much better indicators to use, and unlike buying ammunition in bulk, a person who beats a domestic partner or says he’s going to kill someone has committed an actual crime.
Attacking the ability to participate in economic activity sets a bad precedent. We all have things that we think is bad for society, but when said activity is not categorically wrong, we’d do well to wander away from Revelation to a different passage: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
About Greg Camp
Greg Camp has taught English composition and literature since 1998 and is the author of six books, including a western, The Willing Spirit, and Each One, Teach One, with Ranjit Singh on gun politics in America. His books can be found on Amazon. He tweets @gregcampnc.
fu & your excessive & erratic, d-suckers
Dude, this is not CNN. Go back there please.
Hmm, wonder if these clowns figured out if credit card company’s were to start reporting firearms or ammunition purchases we’d just use the card to get a cash advance and then pay for the items? IMOA, the work around of that stupid anonymous persons insane idea is easily defeated.
Nah, you’re giving way to much credit to clowns who are buying rights through permitting processes. Any clown purchasing a right through permits and registrations is beyond repair. Clowns won’t ever figure out that only privileges can be purchased. If you buy enough ammo to be delivered the fed will even deliver just to get a visual. Can’t miss em, they’ll be real sketchy and nervous as if they’re in danger with wild ideas running through their mind thinking the buyer is going to blast them when he’s just buying ammo. Heck, even the word gun around here gets back… Read more »
Apparently, banking and credit card business is not your private business anymore. Where does to “elite” come off being able to access any of that information? Many that pretend to be elite don’t have two nickles to rub together,they just look successful. Another freedom lost and the number of freedoms we have are getting less and less. The time for watering the tree is getting closer but could be avoided if the progressives would just mind their own business and drop the politically correct b.s. Growing up is not taught in any progressive classroom, as adults they act like 3d… Read more »
These so-called popularly supported common sense solutions all come out of the Jim Crow playbook. Progressives have resorted to that playbook in order to “nudge” or outright coerce behavior they believe to be appropriate without regard to enumerated rights, natural rights or specific intent. Judging people criminals or potential criminals because they choose to exercise a right is absurd. But that does not stop progressives and other forms of authoritarians from attempting to do so. Jim Crow laws and Jim Crow logic is directed at the vilified classes of the day. Post Reconstruction it was black, Hispanic, indigenous and Asian… Read more »
I think we all know what these gun grabbing socialists pretending to be democrats want don’t we? Anyone who knows the history of the twentieth century and how bloody that was not even counting the wars knows their goal. It is positive and complete control over everyone. They knew they would remain in power and have an American dictatorship. That is the reason they have been so upset about the Trump election in 16. They thought they were nearing their goal with hillary after eight years of Obama setting it up. However, could they have succeeded? Consider a few things.… Read more »
USA has been socialist state since FDR New Deal created socialism and was demanded by Americans. Is not the beginning of socialism but the end as Trump prepares to hand it off to Hillary for the mass murdering to begin. USA is done!
Genocide nation under way.
Rise of the fourth Reich.
If you don’t like having your receipt checked on the way out of Costco then don’t shop there. If you can’t buy gas on a credit card because it’s against that banks policy then why have that card? If it says in your rental lease agreement “no guns allowed” then why live there? Quick, run crying to your gun group (your mommy) that is making a nice living keeping you under the corporate tyranny of anti 2A gun control and demand they do something. That they save you bootlickers from having your rights infringed. Run into the fire not away… Read more »
Costco cards ad their gas pumps is one company working with the merchant on an “inside” deal. The reason they refuse other credit cards is because the high fees from “not their own” would reduce their already near-non-existent margins on the guel. Since you MUST be a Costco member to purchase fuel at THEIR stations, you are already part of a limited class, and the cheap fuel is one of the apparent advantages or perks of being a mamber. But that is NOT what is under discussion here. Nope. This is not about one card issuing bank blocking arms purchases.… Read more »
So then don’t use the globalists money it’s based upon control of the masses and stupid people (Bootlickers) surrendered thier gold for the worthless script bowing down to thier master in acceptance granting consent but to take this a step further what are Americans going to do when the globalist calls your home loan due to lack of compliance to the globalist agenda? Gonna grab thier ankles and take it up thier ass? Corporate tyranny under a fraudulent constitution created for another country called Washington DC. Bootlickers lost thier country years ago with the Act of 1871. Now a crown… Read more »
@RM, the kid in the gas station does not know how to make change when I pay in gold or silver. I think paper money, for the time being, has a place. Por ejemplo: I can drive all over this country, paying cash as I go, and no one even knows that left home.
One could even go from contact to contact bearing the start time and plan for any “Liberty Event” that might be planned.
Ooops. It should read “… and no one even knows that I left home.” My apologies.
Yet still worthless. Backed by ink.
I hear ya. What you said and what you didn’t.
Ever hear of CA$H?
Johnny Cash, yeah sure. Is good stuff.
How about having credit card companies dispatch police on large or repetitive alcohol purchases.
Since alcohol is involved in the majority of violent interactions, it might prevent injuries.
Don’t do anything until “they” determine whether it is right or wrong.
That sure looked like the gun counter at the Cabela’s in Hammond, IN.
A Libtard’s attempt to restrict, remove or catalogue the lawful purchase or sale of firearms and associated ammunition does not need to pass the smell test of rationality. For them, no assault on freedom is out of bounds. When only “authorized” Government representatives (Police State) and those of the privileged class (them) are the only ones armed, then they’ll be satisfied. Sheeple are so much easier to control.
I was watching “The Highwaymen” on Netflix the other night. Kevin Costner (playing a retired Texas Ranger) gets called back to kill Bonnie and Clyde who are killing cops all throughout the central-Southern US in the 1930’s. He walks into a local gun store in Texas. Asks to see about 20 weapons, including a fully auto BAR, a fully auto Thompson, another long machine gun, several shotguns and pistols. The owner and a younger kid scramble and lay out all the guns on a couple of display cases. Costner walks past all of them and goes to a case with… Read more »
@JDC Good film, it was roundly criticized by people who don’t know what a character study is.
Bonnie and Clyde were the first to experience ERPO,s.
Yup. I recall that same scene, and actually rewound it (can we still use that term after the demise of VHS tapes?) to watch it again. Costner’s character smoothly called off a variety of weapons and ammo, and had them literally carried to his car outside. Enough of an arsenal to light up an entire community, yet nobody batted an eye. Why? Because our 2A rights were still viewed at the time as indisputable and out of the realm of debate.
Is there any such requirement for credit card company to report individuals making donations to organizations known to support terrorism?
Racist! Would only be allowed if applied to White Nationalist and Republicans.
Uh, that would be the credit card companies. Duh.
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When you lose the 2nd YOU WILL LOSE ALL THE REST OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS
You are certainly correct. However, it is not just rights we will lose if the guns are finally confiscated here in America. Look what happened in Europe and Asia during the twentieth century. The saying those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it, is certainly true. Somewhere between 170 million and 260 million citizens were murdered by their own government(s) during that bloody century. Many of the young people here in America have no knowledge of that fact but it is fact none-the-less. Regardless of what they may think now it could happen here as well and… Read more »
I’m sure those of a debased mind would never attack physically someone who maybe armed, they want the government to do it for them. Now that debauchery is the law of the land why aren’t they satisfied?
f the finance-commie a**holes, contact Congressman-Crapo