UPDATE: Just say NO to Visa Card

On September 8, I posted a blog on Gaia, quoting the entire text of a letter I'd sent to my Visa card holding company (Barclays Bank). My letter opened with this statement:

QUOTE:

I am canceling my credit card with you and will no longer be making payments on my outstanding balance of $4,413.23. My next scheduled payment of $100.42, which is due on Sept. 11, 2009, will not be payable to Barclays but instead to the United Negro College Fund.

:UNQUOTE.

The UNCF has received my payment, and (per my instructions) sent an acknowledgement notice to Barclays.

Since then, Barclays Bank reps called me twice soliciting payment. I told the second caller why I would "no longer be making payments on my outstanding balance." Which, as my Sept. 8 blog explains, has to do with the issue of reparations to the black community.

Without missing a beat, the rep asked me, "Do you think that's fair to deny payment to us?"

I explained that the word "fair" covers a lot of territory: For example, how "fair" was it of Barclays to have benefited from exploitation of the black community in order to "earn" its billions? [Not that Barclays was alone in this effort.] Needless to say, this rep was not authorized to negotiate such a fine point with me. I feel that, if the US Senate and President Obama won't move on the issue of reparations, I will. Though I failed in my bid for the presidency, I hope to prove my actions to be far more presidential than his.

And I'm not asking anyone to be a witness to "change you can believe in," but instead to be a witness to what one common citizen is actually doing to bring change about. I ask no one to "believe in" anything. Just watch what I'm doing.

So where do things stand now?

I sent a couple of e-mails to Barclays telling them not to call me anymore; that they would be violating the law by continuing to call me though I specifically order them not to.

Barclays e-mailed to say: "Unfortunately, if you wish to dispute this issue further we would need for you to mail a letter to our Executive Office."

I will not be mailing such a letter because I am not disputing anything. I simply told them what I was doing and why. Barclays already knows, thanks to my e-mail and snail mail, exactly what I have in mind. So since I do not "wish to dispute this issue further" [because there's nothing to dispute], I won't bother sending them any such letter.

As for legal action? I suppose they might take me to court, but I told Barclays to think twice about that, as I am sure they will not prevail. Oh, I'm sure the judge will be on their side, but I'm thinking more along the lines of winning in the court of public opinion. A lot of Americans are pretty fed up with these plastic pirates and their legalized usury and exploitative ways. A court case (if publicized properly) might get a lot of people riled up. Especially after they realize, more and more as each day passes, that  their President and Congress will continue supporting plastic piracy.

As for legal action, I will represent myself in court, though of course I would welcome any suggestions from any and all sources. [Sorry, can't afford to pay anybody for this.]

What about my other credit card?

Ah, yes, the good folks at Discover Card, to whom I actually owe more than Barclays Visa: $6K vs. $4.4K.

I intend to keep paying Discover unless they decide to jack up my interest rates, which they might since stiffing Barclays will sink my credit rating: SFW, by the way.

If Discover ups my rates, I will immediately divert payments from them to the United Negro College Fund, but I'll give them another chance, saying:

"If you lower my interest rates to the previous level, I will resume payments to Discover. I await your response, though the UNCF will receive payments in the mean time."

This may or may not work. I have no idea if any credit card company would negotiate under such circumstances. If it doesn't work, well the UNCF will have yet another source of donations, thanks to Discover.

I want to pay my just and honorable debts, but I also want to do what's "fair."

Publicity

I've notified a variety of black activists and their organizations of this act of economic warfare, especially those devoted to the reparations issue. I will also contact some media outlets, though I think too many of them are on the same team as the plastic pirates.

I also ask you, out there in Gaia land, to spread the word about what I'm trying to do. As always, I appreciate your support and kind words.

Steven Searle (was) a candidate for U.S. President in 2008:

"The Buddha said, there is no safety in the three-fold world. Which means, none of us is ever guaranteed our next breath. So it's up to each of us to do the right thing, without worrying - Oh me, oh my, whatever will I do without the security blanket provided by being a dues-paying, law-abiding citizen under the thumb of the plastic pirates?" - Steve.

Founder of The Best Party Available

Contact me: bpa_cinc@yahoo.com

Open Invitation: I hereby waive all copyright protection for any material I've posted on Zaadz/Gaia with these exceptions: I reserve the right to disseminate this material, claim authorship credit for it and any compensation I can negotiate. However, if anyone wishes to use these essays, they are free to do so. I do not require that advance permission be obtained, that I be paid any royalties, or that I receive author's credit or even be notified of intent to use. I truly want anyone "out there" to feel free to use these essays, in original or modified form, for whatever purposes they deem worthy.