New York State Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D, Brooklyn) was joined today by nearly forty (40) Assembly Members on both sides of the isle in demanding that Visa and MasterCard cease allowing hate sites to sell products through their credit cards. In letters addressed to the chief executive officers of the two largest credit card companies, Hikind made it clear that both Visa and MasterCard were profiting from the sale of Nazi and KKK paraphernalia and various types of products meant to race-bait and intimidate various minorities.

“Visa and MasterCard are contributing to the widespread wave of racism, bigotry, and unadulterated hatred that currently plague our society,” said Hikind. “Regardless of whether or not they have done so unwittingly, now that we’ve brought their attention to the matter, we expect them to cease immediately.”

Hikind and his colleagues cited Tightrope.cc as one the appalling websites. “It’s bad enough to see such hate sites gaining popularity,” said Hikind, “but it is more disturbing to see Visa and MasterCard participating and profiting by doing business with these sites. In addition to allowing hate sites to use their credit cards to sell anti-Black, anti-Semitic, and other hate propaganda, these companies are also lending legitimacy to these websites.

“Our communities are outraged to see prominent corporations like Visa and MasterCard involved with something that goes so strongly against the principles of decency,” Hikind continued. “We collectively demand that Visa and MasterCard immediately withdraw their partnership with Tightrope, as well as from dozens of other racist companies.”

Hikind was joined by: Peter J Abbate, Jr.(D-Kings), Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Kings), Ron Castorina, Jr. (R-Staten Island), William Colton (D-Kings), Vivian E. Cook (D-Queens), Steven Cymbrowitz (D-Kings), Maritza Davila (D-Kings), Joseph A. Errigo (R-Pittsford), Michael Fitzpatrick (R -Suffolk), Pamela Harris (D-Kings), Andrew D. Hevesi (D-Queens), Earlene Hooper (D-Nassau), Pamela J. Hunter (D-Onondaga), Alicia L. Hyndman (D-Queens), Kimberly Jean-Pierre (D-Suffolk), Mark C. Johns (R-Monroe), Latoya Joyner (D-Bronx), Charles D. Lavine (D-Nassau), Peter D. Lopez (R-Albany), Chad A Lupinacci (R-Suffolk), William Magee (D-Madison), David G. McDonough (R-Nassau), Thomas McKevitt (R-Nassau), Steven F. McLaughlin (R-Columbia), Michael A. Montesano (R-Nassau), Walter T. Mosley (D-Kings), L. Dean Murray (R-Suffolk), Felix W. Ortiz (D-Kings), N. Nick Perry (D-Kings), Victor Pichardo (D- Bronx), Edward P. Ra (R-Nassau), Andrew P. Raia (R-Suffolk), José Rivera (D-Bronx), Luis Sepulveda (D-Bronx), Michael A. Simanowiz (D-Queens), Daniel G. Stec (R-Essex), Helend E. Weinstein (D-Kings), David I. Weprin (D-Queens).