Should I join NRA or GOA?

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jtaylor

New member
I've been meaning to join the NRA for awhile and finally filled out the membership form, but should I join the NRA or Gun Owners of America? Which groups are you a member of and which group is doing better as far as activism and 2nd amendment rights?
Any advise or info would help, I've heard good and bad things about the NRA, and would like to know more about GOA.
 
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MarkoPo

New member
Join both for a year and see which one better fits your beliefs and interests. I am only a NRA member, I simply didn't research the GOA that much. The NRA is way bigger and has a bigger voice and impact in DC. This is an important year to join either with the elections just around the corner. No matter what you do it will make a difference.
 
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jtaylor

New member
I've just heard too many bad things about the NRA recently. That they "sold out" and have their members fill out surveys for government information gathering. They supported the veteran's disarmament act. I've had more than a few people tell me that the NRA's current agenda is gun control!
So, I'm leaning towards GOA I think, but will have to find out more and talk to other members.
 
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Martyn4802

New member
The NRA is the largest voice of us gun owners. It is the number 1 lobbying organization in America today, and is the only reason for us having guns today. If it weren't for their efforts, the Brady bunch would have all of our guns taken away.
I've been a member since 1957 when I graduated from college. If you're looking for the messiah, keep looking. If you're looking for the best available group to support gun ownership, join the NRA. I'm a Benefactor Member.
They do the very best they can.
All of the others organizations are working to protect our gun rights, but when it comes to effectiveness, it's the NRA all the way.
As I mentioned, the NRA is the number 1 lobbying organization in the US. Looking through the list of lobbying organizations here in the US, as compiled by Forbes Magazine, you won't find any other gun rights group in the top 100 of all lobbyinging groups, but the NRA is at the top, ahead of the AFL-CIO, and all others.

Martyn
 
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Musketeer

New member
There is the NRA, a well known and powerful lobby which is respected (liked or not) by all involved in the legislative process. Adding your name to their rolls grants them additional power. In addition to defending 2A rights they accomplish plenty with training programs. Your membership dues cannot for legal reasons be used for lobbying so you need to donate separately to the ILA wing of the NRA.

or

You can send Larry Pratt at the GOA your money. He can send out deceitful emails and mailings about what the NRA is doing with the goal of gaining your membership and donation dollars away from the NRA. It is hard to tell if he really is wearing his tinfoil hat or behaves purely for profit by raiding the NRA of membership dollars. He is a joke within Washington though. Nobody takes him seriously and he is utterly incapable of getting anything done.

You choose.
 
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fairview mick

New member
nra or????

I suggest strongly, the NRA, as the elections loom, they keep us apprised of who is anti, and who is on the legit gun owners side. We need the NRA. With out them, there would be even more restrictions than we have now.
Study your politicians and VOTE SMART!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mickey
 
F

Fremmer

New member
Join the NRA.

Unless you prefer a bunch of fringe wackos, in which case join GOA.

Let us know what you choose. :rolleyes:
 
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Garand Illusion

New member
+whatever on joining the NRA. They get things done, and every pro-gun accomplishment/success in the last few decades has been due to them.

In that same period the GOA has accomplished nothing.

As has been noted, going back to the 1930's and even into the 1960's the NRA has supported legislation that they would not today. They weren't very political back then. They are now.

I've never given any money to the GOA but I am on their email list. The tin foil comment above is absolutely valid.

Joining the GOA is certainly better than not joining any group. but your dollars will accomplish very little there, if anything, except to promote some admittedly interesting rhetoric into the gun debate.
 
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jtaylor

New member
Well, just sent in my NRA membership. I'll start there. I haven't ruled out GOA, their website could use work, but their ideas and members seem great.
I sense that the "tin foil hat" and "Fringe group" comments comes from TFL members who support McCain and dislike Ron Paul? GOA seems to endors Ron Paul, with his quote on their homepage and an Anti McCain article too. I wouldn't let that stop me from joining GOA, but I'll start with NRA and read more into GOA for now. Thanks for the advise!
 
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Musketeer

New member
I think you chose well.

I sense that the "tin foil hat" and "Fringe group" comments comes from TFL members who support McCain and dislike Ron Paul?
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Actually I favor RP over all others. RP gets painted with the tin foil hat because of some of his followers who are wearing them. The GOA gets painted with it because of what they say and do.
 
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Garand Illusion

New member
I sense that the "tin foil hat" and "Fringe group" comments comes from TFL members who support McCain and dislike Ron Paul?
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Not me. Like stated, I'll vote for McCain in November if it's him or Hillary/Obama, but he definitely doesn't have my support until then.

My somewhat negative comments about the GOA come from the fact that it's just about as anti-NRA as the Brady Campaign. The NRA does negotiate/compromise with its lobbying, which is both why it succeeds and why some who refuse compromise find it distasteful.

That said ... I don't consider myself anti-GOA. I think there's a place for a no-compromise voice, and I respect those who take that stance. If GOA had 3 million + members, I'd join them myself.

But I do wish the GOA would confine it's criticisms for it's worst enemies, the anti's, and at least accept that the NRA is a partner in the struggle -- weak principled by their standards, but a partner nonetheless.
 
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Frank Ettin

Administrator
Join both if you can; but if you want to join only one, join the NRA. Politicians care pretty much only about numbers. The more members=votes the NRA has, the bigger voice it has. If 100% (or even 50%) of the 80 million or so gun owners in this country belonged to the NRA, we wouldn't have 90% of the stupid, worthless guns laws we have today.
 
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Musketeer

New member
But I do wish the GOA would confine it's criticisms for it's worst enemies, the anti's, and at least accept that the NRA is a partner in the struggle -- weak principled by their standards, but a partner nonetheless.
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That is my big problem with them and why I believe their leadership is more interested in membership dollars than getting anything done. In sales you always like to go after the low hanging fruit. Go for the target that is easiest to reach. The GOA has realized the easiest group to target are those who are already NRA members. Those people have demonstrated some allegiance to the 2A and a willingness to hand over money. It is far easier for the GOA to get a person who meets those two criteria from an existing pool (NRA members) than develop them on their own. As a result they attack the NRA at every opportunity to fracture off membership. The latest attacks concerning the Larry Pratt named "Veteran's Disarmament Act" is a perfect example of the GOA attempting to delude and mislead people into turning on the NRA by misrepresenting the facts. As a result they did nothing to actually change or stop a bill but certainly gained some new membership dollars at the cost of the NRA. Good work GOA.
 
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webbee

New member
Join both groups, as both have an impact. The NRA is larger, but has made some bad decisions, in my opinion. GOA has a pit bull, take no prisoners, style of 2nd Amendment defence. I believe there is a need for both opinions.
If you look at the anti's, their style more approaches GOA's, so it is a good counter. It really comes down to how you view the 2nd. Does it mean what it says, A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. or is it open to compromise.
 
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Te Anau

New member
You can send Larry Pratt at the GOA your money. He can send out deceitful emails and mailings about what the NRA is doing with the goal of gaining your membership and donation dollars away from the NRA. It is hard to tell if he really is wearing his tinfoil hat or behaves purely for profit by raiding the NRA of membership dollars. He is a joke within Washington though. Nobody takes him seriously and he is utterly incapable of getting anything done.
Click to expand...
Yah right.:rolleyes:
 
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Garand Illusion

New member
Join both groups, as both have an impact. The NRA is larger, but has made some bad decisions, in my opinion. GOA has a pit bull, take no prisoners, style of 2nd Amendment defence. I believe there is a need for both opinions.
If you look at the anti's, their style more approaches GOA's, so it is a good counter.
Click to expand...

I think that's pretty well put and sums it up nicely.

As stated ... I've chosen the NRA as my defender. But the GOA does have the same "fight everything, everywhere, period." mentality as the anti's.

Though I think they are a few degrees more honest than the anti-groups.
 
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Ohio_Shemanese

New member
I am a NRA Life Member myself. As for the negative stuff as of late about the NRA, it seems to me that GOA is the source of this info. I don't believe that the GOA are wackos though, and I don't think the NRA is totally correct with their compromising either, but they do seem to have the biggest impact in DC so that is were I put my money for now. What I do know is there are too many on our side of the issue that are willing, as it was recently put in one of the Gun Rags to offer an apple so we don't loose the orchard--I don't know what apple he was referring to--.50 cals, black rifles, or high caps--but that is exactly the mentality that got us in the shape we are in today. So what am I trying to say I think we need them both, the NRA for their bigger voice and the GOA for their lack of compromise.
 
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