Snip from the USA Gold forum:

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and on the subject of protecting the second an unconfirmed report just in ...

CITIBANK SHUTS DOWN WEAPONS-RELATED BUSINESS ACCOUNTS
* also porn, politics

by Angela Hunter Richardson

A letter's text flowed across my screen and shocked me to my boot soles.

From the local Citibank branch to Nevada Pistol Academy, it read: "Your Citibank checking account will be closed ten calendar days from the date of this notice. This action is necessary due to Citibank not maintaining accounts for businesses that deal in weapons." This can't be true, I thought. This is a paranoid rumor, like so many you find on the Web. So I called Citibank and was transferred to the company's Business and Professional TeleSales Dept. I read the letter's text to Senior Business Officer Lynn Mackey and asked if this was a local branch policy or, unbelievably, a Citibank policy. She replied, "It's a Citibank policy: I don't know when it was implemented or why, but we have three basic industries that we do not target market; that's one of them. The other two are political and pornography."

Okay, I said, I can understand not target marketing certain businesses, but why are you closing down existing accounts? How long has this policy been in effect? She didn't know, and wouldn't say how long she had been with the company, promising instead to find and give me an address later through which I could discuss this matter with the company's legal department.

She did say, "[The Nevada Pistol Academy's] account number is one of a series of accounts that had been around for a long time; I do not know who is sending these accounts to be closed now, or why. The information I just gave you is part of our training material, and I am not in a position to know why it was made a policy."

My question: Does this fall under the "We reserve the right to refuse service" convention? If so, and if it's legal, is it right? And even if so - why is Citibank lumping weapons sales and training, which are rights indirectly guaranteed under the Second Amendment, in with pornography and that other flesh-bartering, secret-deals business, politics? Pornography is against the law in many places. Many politicians subvert, traduce, inflate and distort the law. The Right to Keep and Bear Arms IS the law, however, so why is Citibank discriminating against people whose business involves guns? This is a free market society. For Citibank loftily to hold up its nose and politely brush the dirt of pornmongerers and lie merchants' money from its lily-white hands is one thing. I strongly resent, however, their including in that distasteful group those people who sell - and train others to use - the tools that bought this country its freedom.

Mark Rogers, Director of Public Affairs for Citibank, had not returned my call as this story went to press. Stay tuned for more on this breaking story, or visit Xoutdoors.com and its online magazine for updates.

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If true, another sad milestone in our countries demise.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), February 18, 2000

Answers

It's called incrementalism(sp?), Ray. Very scary, indeed.

-- Just Curious (jnmpow@flash.net), February 18, 2000.

And how long before honest gun-owning or supporting folks say what is this all about and close their accounts in protest?

I only own one piece but count me in for a boycott.

-- Dana (A_Non_O_Moose@xxx.com), February 18, 2000.

Right on, Dana.

If this turns out to be true, it is extremely important for believers of the Constitution to use their economic power to boycott Citigroup/Citibank, and to spread the word to like minded Americans.

-- J (Y2J@home.comm), February 18, 2000.

--I'll guarantee that this policy only applies to small businesses, there's no way citimonopolydrugmoneylaunderingwarmongeringbank will refuse to do business with any of the big boys. typical feel-goodism, or........

could it be that insiders know something? maybe there's some sort of emrgency draconian executive order about to be unleashed, something that would cause these firearms companies to go broke over night, maybe defaulting on a lot of checks and payments? and citiwarmongeringnewworldodorbank is just covering it's a$$ets? Hmmm?

-- zog (zzoggy@yahoo.com), February 18, 2000.

Does Citicorp still do business with The People's Liberation Army??

Enough said about The Double Standard!

-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ It ALL went away last month .com), February 18, 2000.

This is right up there with AOL cancelling service of firearms related web sites by classifying their content "pornographic".

Under the same banner, there have been several gunowner's organizations which have been declared "international terrorist organizations" by British-based analysts. The Second Amendment Foundation and the Right to Keep and Bare Arms Association come to mind.

It probably won't be long before the NRA and GOA are branded "terrorist organizations", too. And then how long before the groups and all their members are under UN scrutiny and face UN action ?

WW

-- Wildweasel (vtmldm@epix.net), February 18, 2000.

Be thankful. I think Citibank has huge overseas loans to poor nations and in the coming economic collapse they will default. Get out now...Find a little local bank if you insist on keeping money in one. International banks are a trip off a 200 foot cliff...

-- gold (and@silver.best), February 18, 2000.

I have a citibank visa, i use it to order ammo and fire arms related material all the time, I have a balance, I called and talked to 5 people nobody had a clue, w if this is what there doin, screw em, they can write my account off as a loss. how many accounts can they afford to write off? there arnt enough bill collectors.

-- lock'n'load (dig@little.deeper), February 18, 2000.

This is a checking account that was closed -- not a Visa account.

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), February 18, 2000.

zog

Any room for another member in the G.M.M.?

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), February 18, 2000.

What's GMM?

Citicorp has international offices. I remember reading about a branch in S.America, Venez? Anyway, if this rumor is true, this means at the very least all NRA members should boycott them. But shouldn't ALL Americans boycott their blatant disregard for our constitution? How dare they profit from our economy, the economy generated by the daughters and sons of the early Americans that forged that constitution with their very blood? The sons and daughters that even today risk their blood to defend that constitution? If this rumor is true, then would they not be our enemy?

-- Hokie (Hokie_@hotmail.com), February 18, 2000.

-- Hokie

zog on one post said he was (if I remember correctly), a member of the semi-organized, one man, Georgia Mountain Miltia.

I thought it was humurous. Especially considering how serious 'z' usually is. I do however find myself in agreement on practically all his posting's.

-- ~***~ (~***~@earth.ebe), February 19, 2000.

I feel that we can now place citicorp at the top of the list of gun hating liberal business's. The thing that makes me nervous is Adolf Hitler and others of his kind felt and feel that guns in the hands of the people of the countries they controlled and control are a bad thing. A citizen owns a gun, a subject does not. Any one but me see anything to this.

-- John Humphries (john-humphries4@excite.com), February 19, 2000.

If they're stupid enough to give me a mid-to-high 4 fig line of credit, I'm gonna keep it pretty well maxed out and we'll see what happens when they drop off the radar screen.

Joss

-- Joss Metadi (warhammer@Pride.of.Mandeyne), February 19, 2000.

Well, these people won't get any of MY money, but, since there's a gun show in Medina this weekend, I suspect I'll let them support the gun industry directly a little bit.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a Night Driver (rienzoo@en.com), February 19, 2000.

Here is an article from today's WorldNetDaily on the subject:

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Citibank forces gun withdrawal Financial giant no longer serves 'businesses that deal in weapons'

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By Jon E. Dougherty
) 2000 WorldNetDaily.com

A new corporate policy at Citibank, one of the largest corporate banks in the world, prohibits "maintaining accounts for businesses that deal in weapons," according to a letter sent from the Las Vegas branch of Citibank to a local pistol club owner.

The letter, dated Feb. 7, said the Nevada Pistol Academy would be forbidden from doing business at the Citibank branch as of Thursday, Feb. 17. The "Notice of Account Closure" said the bank was closing the academy's checking account and instructed account holders to refrain from making further deposits or writing checks on the account.

After the closing date, "any additional funds remaining in your account on the date of closure will be sent to you in the form of an official bank check," the letter said. Bank officials provided a customer service number for the account holders "if you have any questions regarding our decision to close your account."

Chris Lorenzo, director of the academy, said he received the bank's letter "within 3 or 4 days of opening my account." He told WorldNetDaily that no one at the bank informed him of Citibank's policy when he opened his account.

When he called to ask about the cancellation, "they gave me the runaround," he said. WorldNetDaily placed several calls to Citibank officials with no response.

Lorenzo said that while he felt the "bank was entitled to its own opinion," he just felt "other shooters might want to know this information."

As a result, Lorenzo said he contacted the National Rifle Association who, he said, is looking into the legalities of the case. His NRA contact, Chris Oswald, was out of the office for the weekend when WorldNetDaily contacted the NRA late Friday afternoon.

Chris Stark, director of the Texas Gun Owners Alliance, called the action an "outrage," and said it fell "under the category of unlawful restraint of trade."

"For Citibank to operate in this manner is a violation of common and ethical business practices and is discriminatory," he added.

The full text of Citibank's letter follows:

Citibank (Nevada) N.A.
4065 South Jones Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Tel 702/364-2061

February 7, 2000
Nevada Pistol Academy
4610 Blue Diamond Road
Las Vegas, NV 89139

CUSTOMER NOTICE: ACCOUNT CLOSURE

Account Number: (removed for privacy)

Your Citibank checking account will be closed ten calendar days from the date of this notice. This action is necessary due to Citibank not maintaining accounts for businesses that deal in weapons.

Deposits to this account will not be accepted as of three business days from the date of this notice. Please refrain from writing additional checks on this account.

Checks presented for payment will be honored until your account is closed if sufficient funds are available. Any additional funds remaining in your account on the date of closure will be sent to you in the form of an official bank check.

If you have any questions regarding our decision to close your account, please contact our 24 hour customer service telephone number, 800-756-7047 or Text Tel/TTD 800-756-0382.

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Jon E. Dougherty is a staff reporter for WorldNetDaily.

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Let's call those folks and let them know what we think about their Socialist actions.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), February 19, 2000.

I do believe that I will be closing my accounts with them. As if that will make a difference, I know, but it still needs to be done.

-- Bill (billclo@blazenet.net), February 19, 2000.

There is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come. (as some Frenchman once said) It will be interesting to see if disarming the masses is one of those ideas. Choking off smoking was one but it was propelled by the fragrance of loot. Not much loot in the firearms industry so it may be worked differently but there is no doubt in my mind that it will be tried.

R. Trochlil

-- Richard C. Trochlil (trochlilbb@neumedia.net), February 19, 2000.

This is highly discriminatory and in indirect violation of 2nd Amendment rights. I suppose Citi can refuse business to whomever they wish, but this situation merely fuels the accusations of a coordinated globalist disarmament agenda. Among all the worthless creatures ever taking the form of the transnational corporation, the banks are, by far, the worst of a totally useless lot. I'd sue.

-- Nathan (nospamwh@tsoever.moc), February 19, 2000.

I think it's great that Worldnetdaily posted Citibank's phone number. Every gun owning American should swamp this idiocy with a phone call and a letter of complaint. I for one will be removing a 6 figure balance from Citibank and closing all my accounts.

-- Closing My Accounts (citibank@idiots.com), February 19, 2000.

Gee, does this mean Citibank will be closing all of its accounts with the US government and refusing to deal in all government bonds, treasury notes, and Savings Bonds, etc? After all, the government not only makes weapons and trains literally millions of people in their use, it's also one of the largest arms dealers in the world. for the sake of consistency, I should think Citibank has to notify all of its US government agency accounts that they are being closed. And naturally when I close my Citibank account, I'll tell them that I just can't abide doing business with a company that supports such evil, dangerous organizations.

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), February 20, 2000.

Here's a good point to remember, closing a bank account is the last thing these greedy bankers want to experience. With the low reserve requirement (10%) or less placed on them by the Federal Reserve for every $1.00 pulled out they have to dig up $10.00 of cash to maintain their minium reserve requirement.

Ray

-- Ray (ray@totacc.com), February 20, 2000.

Yeoowwzza! To the top!

-- cat (ccordes@ashland.baysat.net), February 20, 2000.