Gun Owners of America

[Ben]

I was a member until maybe ten years ago. I let my membership lapse at the time because, from what I recall, I thought they were getting to where they riled people up, but didn't really provide any good solutions.

I've been thinking about giving them membership dues again. Mostly because I've been impressed with Larry Pratt and how he's handled the opposition on many of the recent videos I've seen with him and various talk/news show hosts and their guests. Maybe I have a biased sample set and missed some stinker interviews, but I've seen him coming off better than Wayne LaPierre. It's made me want to renew with them and contribute considering the political fight that is likely coming.

I'm just curious if other APSers are members and/or have an opinion on the current state of GOA.

[Fly320s]

A few years ago, I chose buying a life membership with GOA instead of the NRA.  At the time, the GOA was pushing to improve CCW laws and repeal other restrictive gun laws. At the same time, the NRA wasn't doing jack squat to improve CCW or repeal other restrictive gun laws.

The NRA may be the 800 pound gorilla, but that gorilla is getting old, fat, and lazy.

[zxcvbob]

I'm a NRA member and a SAF member, and I make additional donations to SAF.  (Alan Gura kicks ass)  Never been real impressed with GOA, not sure why -- too many "the sky is falling, send us money!" emails, I think.  Makes it hard to tell when the sky really is falling.

[MechAg94]

I didn't think the NRA got involved in state legislative stuff.  We have the TSRa here that does that.  Not sure about other states. 

[SteveS]

I'm a NRA member and a SAF member, and I make additional donations to SAF.  (Alan Gura kicks ass)  Never been real impressed with GOA, not sure why -- too many "the sky is falling, send us money!" emails, I think.  Makes it hard to tell when the sky really is falling.

Me, too.  The SAF isn't as vocal as the NRA or GOA, but they do a ton of pro-gun litigation and also put on seminars for attorneys, lawmakers, and the media on gun-related topics.  The NRA was involved in promoting a lot of the stand-your-ground laws in the states.  Here in MI, they were involved in trying to loosen up the restrictions on GFZ's and some other things. 

[Ben]

I hadn't thought about SAF. I'm gonna do some reading up there. I know they've been of great assistance to CalGuns Foundation on cases in CA. I wish Alan Gottlieb would quit with the bowtie though. :)

I'm already an NRA Patron member, so I figure they have enough of my dough to use if they invested it wisely. I'm looking at taking a page from the Obama playbook and "spreading the wealth" to the less fortunate 2nd Amendment organizations. :)

[Grandpa Shooter]

GOA here, but that shouldn't surprise anyone. Been a member 20 years.

[MrsSmith]

I'm a NRA member and a SAF member, and I make additional donations to SAF.  (Alan Gura kicks ass)  Never been real impressed with GOA, not sure why -- too many "the sky is falling, send us money!" emails, I think.  Makes it hard to tell when the sky really is falling.

This. And when I've contacted them directly to request information or to find out how to volunteer, I've never gotten a response, not even a form letter.
IMO, GOA is only an 800 lb gorilla in the making.

One of the things that frustrates me most is that all of these larger groups are so competitive with each other. They all need to realize that the only way we're going to beat what's coming is by standing together under a common banner, with each of the various organizations working together to protect the 2nd Amendment.

[Grandpa Shooter]

I'm a NRA member and a SAF member, and I make additional donations to SAF.  (Alan Gura kicks ass)  Never been real impressed with GOA, not sure why -- too many "the sky is falling, send us money!" emails, I think.  Makes it hard to tell when the sky really is falling.

Any time our constitutional rights are being attacked, the sky is falling.  That is why they are the no compromise gun lobby.

[wmenorr67]

One of the things that frustrates me most is that all of these larger groups are so competitive with each other. They all need to realize that the only way we're going to beat what's coming is by standing together under a common banner, with each of the various organizations working together to protect the 2nd Amendment.

This plus a million.  It is going to take all gun owners standing together to win this.

[Perd Hapley]

Any time our constitutional rights are being attacked, the sky is falling. 

Don't you think it helps to know which attacks are an actual threat, and which are not going to go anywhere? We don't want to waste resources on, or draw attention to, things that are going to die of their own accord.

[makattak]

I have never liked the GOA because they seem far more interested in attacking the NRA than defending the Second Amendment.

For those who like the GOA: can you tell me their last legislative accomplishment or judicial victory?

[Cliffh]

I didn't think the NRA got involved in state legislative stuff.  We have the TSRa here that does that.  Not sure about other states.  

A couple years ago a fledgling organization was working on changing one of the gun laws in TX; they contacted the TSRA.  TSRA told them that the national NRA org doesn't get involved in state laws/regs but the local NRA folks would/do.

FWIW, the TSRA was not interested in working with another organization.  Their message was that they know what's best for TX firearms owners, and no, they don't poll their members for input.

[gunsmith]

I'm a NRA member and a SAF member, and I make additional donations to SAF.  (Alan Gura kicks ass)  Never been real impressed with GOA, not sure why -- too many "the sky is falling, send us money!" emails, I think.  Makes it hard to tell when the sky really is falling.

I second the commotion, Alan Gura for the win

[seeker_two]

FWIW, the TSRA was not interested in working with another organization.  Their message was that they know what's best for TX firearms owners, and no, they don't poll their members for input.

Yep, that sounds like TSRA.....

[AZRedhawk44]

Yep, that sounds like TSRA Texas.....

Fixed for truthiness.

[Jamisjockey]

Yep, that sounds like TSRA.....

Open carry is bad, don'tchaknow?  I mean, you could be targeted for carrying a gun!  Please think of all the instructors it would put out of work! It's for the chillrens!

[Ben]

Well, I'm thinking I'll do a one year in both GOA and SAF and see how each of them perform over the coming (and likely rough) year. Then decide if I want to continue contributing to either or both of them.

[seeker_two]

Open carry is bad, don'tchaknow?  I mean, you could be targeted for carrying a gun!  Please think of all the instructors it would put out of work! It's for the chillrens!

You need to head over to Texas Gun Talk....we're really starting a kerfluffel on OC there....

 http://www.texasguntalk.com/forums/gun-legislation/39855-texas-gun-legislation-2013-a.html

....and their Politics page is still open.... 

[Fitz]

Speaking of outrageous fees in Texas...

The Virginia nonresident permit costs $100

I am pretty sure it is good in Texas

A class can be taken online that satisfies the requirements, for $40... Additionally, other training such as NRA  basic defensive pistol counts for the training requirement in Virginia

Those of you sick of Texas and their permit system should just get a nonresident Virginia permit

[seeker_two]

There are plenty of instructors here that do Florida & Utah non-resident permits. I'll probably go that route until Texas gets its act together...

[Scout26]

Back in 2007 Congress passed the "NICS Improvement Bill"  In it was some good features including the ability for veterans who had simply gone in to talk p-shrink about anything (PTSD, etc.) who had then had those VA records dumped in NICS (aka the "No Guns for You" list) to be removed from NICS because they hadn't be properly ADJUDICATED to be put on the list.   This would have removed somewhere between 93,000-144,000 veterans from the NICS No-Guns list.

And GOA called the bill the "Veterans Disarmament Bill" in their fundraising scare letter.  I read the bill several times and it did nothing of the sort.  

Here, you can read all the threads over on THR.  I swear it was like playig Whack-A-Mole as each time some new member got the GOA Scare-mail.

While I had previously supported the GOA, I stopped after that fiasco.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=307205

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=307220

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=307464

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=304996

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=305038

 

[Matthew Carberry]

What scout said.

Too many outright fabrications and misrepresentations.

"No compromise" /= "making up stuff to generate outrage."

Also, I find Pratt goes off-message on political issues with only a tenuous link to gun rights, usually in a social conservative vein, which unnecessarily excludes gun owners of many flavors.

He did do well in the recent interviews, if he can keep that up I'll give GOA another look.

[Balog]

What scout said.

Too many outright fabrications and misrepresentations.

"No compromise" /= "making up stuff to generate outrage."

Also, I find Pratt goes off-message on political issues with only a tenuous link to gun rights, usually in a social conservative vein, which unnecessarily excludes gun owners of many flavors.

He did do well in the recent interviews, if he can keep that up I'll give GOA another look.

Going off message how? Honest question I've never seen him speak. I find it hard to picture going off base more than that tool LaPierre did.

[Matthew Carberry]

Going off message how? Honest question I've never seen him speak. I find it hard to picture going off base more than that tool LaPierre did.

I tried to do some googling but the Piers Morgan thing dominates the hits. 

In the past, in addition to the Veteran's bill misrepresentation, he called for pro-gun Dems who voted for Obamacare to be opposed because that was "socialism." Now you can agree or disagree with that, but Obamacare had no direct tie to gun rights (he stated it would include mandatory doctor notification as was being fought in Florida, as I recall).

Basically he has used GOA to push "Republican" issues in addition to gun rights.  The reason NRA works is it stays on a bi-partisan narrow focus message and largely avoids more general political fights.  Pratt has not chosen that path, which reduces GOA's potential political appeal.

When that is combined with his "no compromises" stance, which makes the perfect the enemy of the good and ignores how all the actual advances in gun rights have been accomplished over the past decades (incrementally).  He provides in some cases a stalking horse the anti's can and do use to misrepresent all gun owners as their stereotype of white, male Republicans.