Florida has responded to credit card companies that are about to begin tracking gun and ammunition sales. The sunshine state announced that they will pass laws to punish those companies.
Many corporations have caved to the far-left activists praising these provisions. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express have decided to separate firearm purchases at gun stores from other purchases.
Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis released a statement urging the companies to backtrack their plans as they will face the consequences in Florida.
“The second amendment is foundational to our American way of life,” Patronis insisted. “The idea that law-abiding Americans would be put on some kind of corporate watchlist is disturbing.”
“Our rights come from our Creator, not the government, and especially not big corporations,” he said. “It is clear that the actions by these credit card companies are part of a larger effort to curtail God-given constitutional rights of Americans.”
“It is also symptomatic of the virus known as ESG, which is part of a global effort to socially re-engineer the country that we love so much.” Patronis continued. “There is no way we are going to allow that they happen in the free state of Florida.”
“If we come to the legislative session and companies like Visa, Mastercard and American Express are generating these reports to create a chilling effect against the purchase of firearms, then I’ll work with the Legislature to pass a law penalizing businesses who are targeting the right to bear arms,” he added. “We’ve seen a groundbreaking ruling come out of the Fifth Circuit limiting corporations’ ability to curtail American’s constitutional rights, so we are on solid legal footing to pursue a bill protecting Floridians 2nd Amendment Rights.”
“We can also take it a step further by barring these companies from doing any business with the State of Florida,” Patronis said. “We will send a message out to these large corporations that if you are interested in doing business with Florida, you need to make sure that you are protecting Floridians right to arm and defend themselves.”
The issue has also gained attention at the federal level, with Senate Republicans urging the companies not to proceed with their new guidelines.
The Republicans argue that the merchant code will impact law-abiding gun owners.
“The decision, which is already being hailed by radical anti-gun activists, is the first step towards backdoor gun control on law-abiding American,” the senators wrote to the company executives. “Any change that seeks to impact a United States citizen’s ability to legally purchase a firearm belongs with Congress, not payment networks, international standard-setting organizations, or the financial institutions that some of you serve.”
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