Hikind Applauds MasterCard For Refusing To Work With Businesses That Peddle Hate

Assemblyman Dov Hikind made a point to commend executives at MasterCard who recently decided that they will no longer lend their services to any business that peddles hate products. Brooklyn Daily Eagle is reporting that MasterCard made the change after calls made by Hikind.

The Daily Eagle described the chain of events that led MasterCard to make sweeping changes to its policies:

Last month, it was discovered that eight organizations were selling racist, anti-Semitic and Holocaust denial products, including books and videos, via websites through credit card sales. A report on one of the websites stated, “The alleged gas chambers of Auschwitz could not have existed.”

Hikind, who represents a district where hundreds of Holocaust survivors live, said he was outraged when he learned these hate groups were selling items and using credit card companies to collect the fees. He called on all credit card companies to stop doing business with these groups.

Hikind lauded MasterCard for its proactive stance on this matter.

“MasterCard was the first to take this issue seriously. Freedom of speech allows anyone to espouse openly racist, hateful ideologies, but there’s no need to make it easier for them and no cause for a respected credit card and international brand to be associated with such reprehensible material. I applaud MasterCard for their sensitivity and respect—for going the extra mile and making the necessary efforts to do the right thing,” Hikind told the Daily Eagle.

I agree with Hikind. Part of being American is respecting everyone’s right to free speech but that doesn’t mean that corporations have to do business with people that want to sell pro-Nazi propaganda. Why should a massive conglomeration like MasterCard extend their services to businesses who push ridiculous and hurtful distortions historical records? Good job, MasterCard.