Bank of America hates the Bill of Rights

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**AustonT**

Or more specifically the second amendment. it's good to see that our hard earned bailout money went to a business that lost 2.2 billion USD last year, but can afford to be picky about it's clientel.

From FaceBook

McMillan Group International

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

**pretre**

I'm pretty sure that the Bill of Rights does not protect the right to manufacture firearms.

**LordofHats**

pretre wrote:I'm pretty sure that the Bill of Rights does not protect the right to manufacture firearms.

I see what you did there.

Obviously, the US has fallen behind other world leaders in the manufacture of Bear Arms. I blame China

**kronk**

I dropped Bank of America because their fees kept creeping up and up. I had been with them for nearly 20 years, having opened an account when I was in high school.

The last straw was when they jacked up the interest rate on my credit card. I had never had a late bill and usually paid it off in full each month. I called them and asked them to lower it based on my credit history. When they refused, I went to the bank the next day and closed my accounts and switched to another bank.

Bank of America can suck my ____.

As for this article, why the hell would a financial institution like BoA give a monkey gak about what their customer's business is so long as it's legal? This baffles me. Politically motivated banking?

**sourclams**

BofA is not exactly known for a track record of stellar decision-making over the past few years.

**pretre**

LordofHats wrote:Obviously, the US has fallen behind other world leaders in the manufacture of Bear Arms. I blame China

I DEMAND that we increase production of ALL Bear Appendages!

kronk wrote:As for this article, why the hell would a financial institution like BoA give a monkey gak about what their customer's business is so long as it's legal? This baffles me. Politically motivated banking?

You know that titles in Banking are inflated, right?

Mr. Ray Fox, Senior Vice President, Marlet Manager, Business Banking, Global Commercial Banking is probably a the head sales guy from a local bank branch that decided not to work with that business anymore.

**AustonT**

pretre wrote:I'm pretty sure that the Bill of Rights does not protect the right to manufacture firearms.

/rolls eyes

kronk wrote:
As for this article, why the hell would a financial institution like BoA give a monkey gak about what their customer's business is so long as it's legal? This baffles me. Politically motivated banking?

Kelly went so far as to ask that, and received an affirmative. Other small to intermediate firearms manufacturers, dealers, and parts makers have encountered similar issues with BofA; especially since the integration of Merrill Lynch executives.
Oh and it's less an article and more a rage mail that was originally bulk mailed to McM's mailing list and then posted on FB.

**Chongara**

I really don't see how "Not wanting to have ties with a business involved in a controversial industry" equates to "Hates the bill of rights".

**sourclams**

pretre wrote:Mr. Ray Fox, Senior Vice President, Marlet Manager, Business Banking, Global Commercial Banking is probably a the head sales guy from a local bank branch that decided not to work with that business anymore.

As someone who has worked with quite a few mid-level bankers, and has even had several luncheons at the "secret" restaurant on the 77th floor of the JPM-Chase headquarters building in downtown Chicago where the little man comes out of the hidden wall panel, I doubt you have any factual basis for this statement whatsoever.

**Kanluwen**

So basically McMillan pulled the same behavior as a 12 year old ragewriting in their blog?

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

**pretre**

@sourclams: lol

I saw a quote saying that upwards of 50% of JPMC's employees are officers (i.e. VP or above).

Really, this is a local decision (at the branch level) and not likely to be a company-wide decision.

Automatically Appended Next Post:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ray-fox/43/935/849

**sourclams**

The stat was wrong or your recollection of it was wrong.

**pretre**

sourclams wrote:The stat was wrong or your recollection of it was wrong.

It was hyperbole, more than likely.

In all seriousness, VP title inflation is a real issue at banks.

http://articles.latimes.com/1998/may/31/business/fi-55115
http://www.feld.com/wp/archives/2011/05/title-inflation-emerges-with-a-vengence.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vice_president

**AustonT**

Kanluwen wrote:So basically McMillan pulled the same behavior as a 12 year old ragewriting in their blog?

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

It's just not an article, how they choose to run their business is up to them.

**sourclams**

Banks, just like every other industry, have exhibited a tendency to mis-manage and inflate head-count during the "good times" (like prior to 2009), which can easily result in middle-management inflation.

BofA has recently gone through some massive headcount reductions to better manage their SG&A, however, so I doubt their vice+ bloat is as considerable as it may have been. At any rate it looks like the article has Mr. Fox's job title wrong from the get-go.

**pretre**

Well, it's from Facebook and it is causing all sorts of rage on the interwebs on gun sites but so far, I haven't seen it on any kind of reliable news outlet though, so I'm a bit nervous about accuracy here.

Hmm. Looks like this came up previously (2001) with BoA and they wrote to the NRA to advise them on their lack of policy regarding this:
http://www.nrawinningteam.com/0106/boa.html

"In the past, some of our BA Merchant Services, Inc., representatives may have discouraged certain customers from applying with us. There has been some confusion within our company and we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that our BA Merchant Services, Inc., associates are fully aware of our company's position."

Again, rogue local employees.

I anticipate a similar letter or press release comes out from BoA again.

**Kanluwen**

AustonT wrote:
Kanluwen wrote:So basically McMillan pulled the same behavior as a 12 year old ragewriting in their blog?

Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice.

It's just not an article, how they choose to run their business is up to them.

Yeah, and all this does is make them look like petulant children.

Not impressive from a business.

**AustonT**

pretre wrote:Well, it's from Facebook and it is causing all sorts of rage on the interwebs on gun sites but so far, I haven't seen it on any kind of reliable news outlet though, so I'm a bit nervous about accuracy here.

The original note that I received came from Kelly, so I have little doubt that the facebook post is from McM.

Spoiler:

Kanluwen wrote:
Yeah, and all this does is make them look like petulant children.

Pot calls kettle black, news at 11.

**pretre**

AustonT wrote:The original note that I received came from Kelly, so I have little doubt that the facebook post is from McM.

I'm not doubting that it came from McM. I'm unsure that her version of events is 100% accurate. We already know that the guy isn't a SVP.

**Kanluwen**

AustonT wrote:
pretre wrote:Well, it's from Facebook and it is causing all sorts of rage on the interwebs on gun sites but so far, I haven't seen it on any kind of reliable news outlet though, so I'm a bit nervous about accuracy here.

The original note that I received came from Kelly, so I have little doubt that the facebook post is from McM.

Spoiler:

He didn't spell "for" right.

Kanluwen wrote:
Yeah, and all this does is make them look like petulant children.

Pot calls kettle black, news at 11.

You know that only works when I'm behaving like a petulant child, right?

This is a company which has chose to air its dirty laundry in public, and in the most ridiculous way possible.

**Kilkrazy**

All airlines also hate the Bill of Rights.

**pretre**

Kilkrazy wrote:All airlines also hate the Bill of Rights.

Completely different situation, but also hilarious.

**AustonT**

Kilkrazy wrote:All airlines also hate the Bill of Rights.

And Alec Baldwin

**Kilkrazy**

I didn't know Alec Baldwin hated the Bill of Rights.

**pretre**

Kilkrazy wrote:I didn't know Alec Baldwin hated the Bill of Rights.

He does. He also hates airlines amusingly enough.

**CptJake**

I would think good conservatives would support BoA's right to do business with who they wanted to. Just as McMillan is free to bank with who they want to.

To look at this as a 2nd Ammendment issue is asinine.

**SilverMK2**

Surely he could have used all his guns to defend himself from perceived oppression? At least, I'm led to believe that guns can magically protect you from everything...

**Grakmar**

1) I hate Bank of America. They're an awful company.

2) This has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd amendment. Bank of America isn't congress, they're free to do business with whatever industries they want.

3) AustonT, the note you received did NOT come directly from Kelly. It was forwarded to you by someone else, who could have changed whatever he wanted in the text, or created entirely from nothing.

**AustonT**

Grakmar wrote:1) I hate Bank of America. They're an awful company.

2) This has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd amendment. Bank of America isn't congress, they're free to do business with whatever industries they want.

3) AustonT, the note you received did NOT come directly from Kelly. It was forwarded to you by someone else, who could have changed whatever he wanted in the text, or created entirely from nothing.

1.dur.
2. How exactly did you draw the line from BoA to Congress? They are free to do business with anyone they want, specifically excluding firearms manufacturers from their business is an expression of their disagreement with the principle of keeping and bearing arms.
3. That's not from MY email, someone else already posted an image and I couldn't be bothered to do my own.
The text is original and matches mine.

**d-usa**

BoA is a business, they can do what they want. Just as customers can choose what business they want to do business with. Pretty much a non-issue here.