Why We Don’t Use PayPal
Matt Bannick
General Manager, PayPal
eBay Inc.
2145 Hamilton Ave.
San Jose, CA 95125
Dear Mr. Bannick:
The National Center for Reason & Justice, a PayPal
customer since January 2002, wishes to suspend our contract
with your company for the foreseeable future.
We are doing so because you have chosen, by policy, to
deny the essential right of free speech and free association
by withdrawing your services from the Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee. Your reason is that Mr. Peltier is a convicted
felon.
Our organization represents people whom we believe to be
wrongfully convicted of felonies. We do so because the U.S.
justice system is not perfect. The exoneration of many
hundreds of convicted felons in recent years (including 144
identified as innocent by DNA evidence), representing just a
fraction of the many thousands who remain wrongly imprisoned,
demonstrates that it is not uncommon for innocent people to
be convicted and punished – sometimes executed – in America.
But appealing cases or forcing the courts to reopen closed
cases requires diligent citizen involvement. And it costs
money. Raising money to defend even convicted criminals is a
legal part of the justice system in a democracy.
Indeed, in capitalism every aspect of the political and
legal process costs money. Part of your company’s profits
come from expediting this important function of citizen
participation: raising funds.
The Peltier matter alerts us that PayPal, through its
anonymous informants, has assumed the role of admitting
those it deems worthy of democratic participation and
rejecting those it deems unworthy. No doubt selecting your
customers is your legal prerogative. It is also our
prerogative to stop giving you our money.
If you wish to change your policy and start doing
business with anyone carrying on the crucial, legal act of
raising money for political causes – including the Peltier
committee – we will be happy to sign up again with PayPal.
Until then, we will help publicize what we believe is your
misguided and dangerous misuse of corporate power.
Sincerely,
Michael J. Snedeker, Esq., President
Francis X. Kane, Treasurer
Hugo Cunningham, Clerk
Judith Levine, Director
Debbie Nathan, Director
Dr. Emily Horowitz, Director
Dr. Bernard Rosenthal, Director
Mark Pendergrast, Director
Robert B. Chatelle, Executive Director
Harvey Silverglate, Esq., Advisor
Dr. James Wood, Advisor
Dr. Carol Tavris, Advisor
Dr. Richard Leo, Advisor
Dr. Robyn Dawes, Advisor
