In late September 2022, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) announced the creation of a Merchant Category Code (MCC) for firearms. Prior to the announcement, firearms were lumped into the MCC for general merchandise. Gun control advocates lauded the move.
Everytown for Gun Safety President John Feinblatt said the move "is a critical first step toward giving banks and credit card companies the tools they need to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing trends." Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts agreed, saying that the MCC can help banks and financial institutions "track suspicious and potentially illegal gun purchases."
The measure did not gain ground with Americans in the federal capital, however.
A poll by FOX 5 that asked if they agree with credit card companies tracking gun sales found that three in four respondents said no to the measure. This came as a surprise as Washington, D.C. is known for having the most stringent gun laws in the nation and overwhelmingly supporting politicians who back gun control.
It's all about tracking Americans
National Shooting Sports Federation Senior Vice President and General Counsel Larry Keane put in his two cents on the FOX 5 poll.
"That's crystal clear. Americans understand the code isn't about safety at all – it's about tracking them," wrote Keane. "Americans see the ruse."
"Law abiding Americans see it as nothing more than overreach, even though gun control schemers are praising the code."
Keane added that there has been no word about what kinds of purchases would fall under "suspicious activity." Moreover, there has been no word about what the financial institutions will do with the information and what stores will specifically be coded.
Amalgamated Bank President and CEO Priscilla Sims Brown dubbed the creation of MCC for firearms as a victory. The New York-based bank requested ISO for the code, which the latter granted.
"We won," she said. "This code can save lives, [and its] existence will enable financial institutions and payment networks to categorize gun sales." (Related: Time to STOP using credit cards to purchase firearms and ammo: It's all about to be red-flagged thanks to gun control zealots.)
Other financial institutions, however, gave half-baked responses. "We respect the Second Amendment," Citigroup CEO Jane Fraser told lawmakers during a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee. "As I said, we do not intend to use the code to restrict or limit any purchases or firearm sales by our credit card customers."
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon gave a similar remark, assuring the committee that he and other banking executives understand senators' concern over the issue. "We actually don't know what they use it for, and we don't want to be in the business of telling American citizens what they can do with their money," he said.
American Express (AmEx) Executive Vice President Brett Loper, meanwhile, wrote a letter to Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and other lawmakers in support of the MCC.
"We require merchants who accept AmEx cards to adhere to all applicable laws. Our policy has been, and will remain, that our customers are able to make legal firearm purchases using our cards."
Keane pointed out that "the announcement of the new tracking code for sales at federally-licensed firearm retailers has given the country's largest banks just enough wiggle room to avoid being specific."
"In most cases, they acknowledge the code was created and state they won’t use it to deny law-abiding Americans the ability to buy lawful firearms, or that those Americans would be flagged by authorities for 'suspicious activity.' Their answers are far from clear."
Watch Glenn Beck talk about credit card companies' plans to track gun purchases in the video below.
This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
Gabby Giffords' gun control groups ask major credit cards to flag gun, ammo purchases.
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