Did you know that Jim Crow is coming back? Just in time for the holidays. Not the Jim Crow I grew up with in the Deep South but a financial Jim Crow.

Just the other day some customers tried to close Bank of America and Citibank accounts in protest over the greed shown by these banks and their parent companies. Not only did both refuse to allow them to close their accounts, Citibank had them arrested.

Bank of America reportedly told the protesters they could not protest on private property. That Bank of America could refuse service to anyone.

Sounds like the sign from the 1960's in a small hamburger joint down from my mother's house in Shreveport. A friend of mine worked there and right next to the window was a sign: "We reserve the right to refuse to serve anyone."
You may have seen a similar sign in "Giant," starring Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor. Near the end of the movie when the restaurant was refusing to serve a family of Mexicans. (That sounds real familiar too but that's for another day.)

Here is an answer for Bank of America and Citibank, close your account, without reason, just close it. Refuse to accept checks drawn on Bank of America and Citibank, for any reason.

More importantly, when you go into the local Walmart or Best Buy, ask them if they take checks or credit cards from Bank of America or Citibank. If they say yes, or refuse to answer, remember that you reserve the right to refuse to shop with anyone. And do so.

Patrick Durusau is a Covington resident.