Operation Chokepoint was an initiative pushed under the Obama administration in the early 2010’s. Most of our readers should be up to speed on the concept. The Obama administration pushed financial institutes to take part in discriminatory  practices against firearm related industries. In short, the idea was to “choke off” the funding and access to banking services and payment processing, in essence crippling the businesses targeted. Operation chokepoint is one of the largest acts of discrimination levied against any industry in modern times. Forget that the industry in question revolves around Constitutionally protected activities, the targeting of any lawful business or commerce is down right wrong just because the industry does not fit a special rubric of the ruling elite. To date, the practice is allegedly no longer a thing, however it’s a concept that banking institutes and payment processing companies still embrace, even if it’s not under the encouragement of the government (officially). Take for example this situation discussing some “practices” today one company is falling subject to:

The changes are needed because of mounting pressure from banking partners and payment providers, according to the company.

The problem with that statement up there is the “mounting pressure from banking partners and payment providers”, another word for “change what you’re doing or we’ll cut you off”, has nothing to do with firearms. This has to do with the allegedly popular site known as OnlyFans. From a report:

Starting in October, the company will prohibit creators from posting material with sexually explicit conduct on its website, which many sex workers use to sell fans explicit content. They’ll still be allowed to put up nude photos and videos, provided they’re consistent with OnlyFans’ policy, the company said Thursday.

The popularity of the social-media service exploded during the pandemic as sex workers, musicians and online influencers used it to charge fans for exclusive access to photos, videos and other material. OnlyFans has attracted more than 130 million users.

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The changes are needed because of mounting pressure from banking partners and payment providers, according to the company.  OnlyFans is trying to raise money from outside investors at a valuation of more than $1 billion.

To be perfectly honest, I hadn’t heard of OnlyFans until last year and based off of everything I was told and or read, I thought the full business concept of the site was to allow adult related content creators “do their thing”. The memes and jokes about ole Auntie Karen having that OnlyFans account back in the day because of the pandemic and needing to make ends meet were met with chuckles from more than just me. Apparently they’re not just about porn, but sex sells.

Another article corroborates that intel with the quoting of the company’s statement:

Effective 1 October, 2021, OnlyFans will prohibit the posting of any content containing sexually-explicit conduct. In order to ensure the long-term sustainability of the platform, and to continue to host an inclusive community of creators and fans, we must evolve our content guidelines. Creators will continue to be allowed to post content containing nudity as long as it is consistent with our Acceptable Use Policy.

These changes are to comply with the requests of our banking partners and payout providers.

The problem that I see here is are these “requests”? Is that really what’s going on? Or is OnlyFans being bullied into whacking aside one of the larger portions of their base because it’s unpopular with those holding the coin purse?

What’s this got to do with the Second Amendment and guns? As noted, this is very akin to Operation Chokepoint. We now have companies leveraging other companies via their financial clout. Sure, I get it, they’re private banking institutes and payment providers, and can do what they want to do. But can they really? Should they really? Whether we’re talking payment processing for people taking firearm related classes, the sale of guns, or the distribution, filming and sharing of hardcore pornographic acts and receiving payment for said distribution, guess what, those are all Constitutionally protected activities.

Banks, lenders, and the more accessible smaller payment processing companies bully and push around business owners who engage in activities they just don’t like. In this case, OnlyFans, the language is kind of light, “comply with the request” or “mounting pressure”. The reason the whole situation is being posed as a request or pressure is the fact that OnlyFans draws in a good deal of money as patrons do make it rain. If they didn’t, the banks and payment processing companies would not be making “requests”, they’d be making demands, giving the cold shoulder until their headache goes away. So there is “pressure” and “requests”.

This treatment that OnlyFans received is contrary of the treatment that firearm related small businesses have received. No, they just turn out the lights. Nasty letters that basically tells them to pack up their marbles and go elsewhere. Put your keys in another bowl. There are no requests or suggestions, they simply deliver a head$hot. Even companies that have polices prohibiting the sale of firearms and weapons stretch as far to cancel payment processing for firearm trainers, those that engage in education.

Operation Chokepoint is alive and well. The stink of it has continued to linger since the practice was officially “stopped”. But the ramifications of it has fostered an atmosphere that bullying through banking is still proliferating. The mounting numbers of Second Amendment related business people scrambling to find ways to process payments, take out loans, and do their day to day banking is alarming. I’ve read reports from several companies and individuals in my immediate circle that have been choked out after receiving notice that their institute has decided to swipe left on them.

I’m sure a big company like OnlyFans is not hard up when it comes to this move, but I wonder how much of their base will feel spanked by this new policy? First Amendment, Second Amendment, eh, you know the self-evident thing man. Not all of these businesses can afford to just pull out.