WTF? "FreeRepublicFirearms" [Vanity]

FreeRepublic ^ | 09/24/2022 | Reno89519

[Steely Tom]

There is a "Free Republic Firearms" in Massillon, Ohio. It is a FFL firearms dealer.

Here is a link to its website: Free Republic Firearms.

There is also a Free Republic Defense LLC, which is another gun store.

Could be an honest mistake, could be something more significant.

[Alas Babylon!]

My AmerExpress entry says PAYPAL*FREEREPUBLI

Cuts off before completing line.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[Reno89519]

This is the image from the iPhone app. Again, read my observations that this is seen in the app, not in the browser.

[Reno89519]

Ah, okay. That went right over my head. Thanks!

[Steely Tom]

I believe you. I didn't think you were lying.

The issue (as I see it) is whether this was an honest mistake (made by some entity along the transaction path between your Best Egg credit card and Free Republic LLC), or something more nefarious, like the Federal Government somehow classifying Free Republic LLC as a firearms dealer.

Since there actually exists a gun dealer that does business under the name Free Republic Firearms, this might be just a transcription error, or (somewhat worse) a nasty clerk or low-level operator at some bank clearinghouse doing something skeevy for his or her own entertainment.

Based on what others are reporting, it doesn't look like it's some sort of move by the federal government to criminalize Free Republic LLC.

[Steely Tom]

If the feds have reclassified Free Republic LLC as a firearms dealer, that would be a "Buckhead level" discovery, evidence of a major move to shut down a very influential conservative media website by classifying it as a "firearms dealer," thereby opening Free Republic up to SWAT raids, Mir-A-Lago type document sweeps, subpoenas for all donor and poster identity records, etc.

That would be a bombshell development, and one that I think many of us here are expecting to happen, however reluctant we are to admit that such a thing isn't impossible in 21st Century America.

[Lockbox]

Sounds like material for a lawsuit? Just asking for a friend who’s still out buying all the tinfoil left in stock....

[Reno89519]

The problem is that this will percolate through our financial transactions, repeated until believed or have other impact. Further, this is a precursor to categories, which are nefarious in themselves and might ensnare Free Republic. Lastly, how can it be undone?

And while this is Best Egg, I suspect if enough FR check their phone apps, someone else will see the same occurring as I suspect there is an underlying company proving the information about merchants--logo, vanity name, merchant category, etc.

[Navy Patriot]

Thanks for all the research and info, I suspect this is part of the coming Totalitarian Surveillance Society, please keep me posted, just ask for Big Brother, I’ll take your call immediately.

[Steely Tom]

Yes, I agree. I'm no expert in this sort of thing, but if I were in your shoes I would contact Best Egg and tell them that they have made an error in your transaction history, and ask them to change that entry from the name (and possibly some sort of internal merchant code) that came up on your billing statement to the correct name Free Republic LLC, so that no one in any agency can draw the conclusion that you've been purchasing firearms-related material over the internet.

Most regrettably — in 21st Century America — such an item in your transaction history could conceivably cause problems for you at some future time.

We all know that the government is showing clear evidence that they want to shut down conservative media outlets and prosecute those who use and support them.

[VanShuyten]

The gun store in Ohio is closed and the one in Texas is either closed or runs from a house.

[FreedomPoster]

I figured I was already on a big government list just by being here, let alone any donations. And FWIW I have a FR coffee cup with my username on it from way back when.

[Lazamataz]

Not sure what the problem is. I'm loving my "Free Republic" 9MM totally plastic .50 caliber sniper semiautomatic revolver handgun derringer.

[Reno89519]

Where do I buy one (with my Best Egg credit card of course)?

[Steely Tom]

No shark-mount option?

[Wilderness Conservative]

Middle Eastern patsies, you mean?

[Steely Tom]

Middle Eastern patsies, you mean?

I read that as "Middle Eastern pasties."

[who_would_fardels_bear]

I know it's kind of wordy, but if they want to be accurate they need to label BurgerKing as:

BurgerKing that encourages customers to throw their milkshakes in the faces of conservative political candidates at a time when some are throwing fast drying cement on those same candidates.

[Lazamataz]

Note the copyright date.

1999.

I have been at this, ridiculing the left, for a very long time.