NRA vs. GOA: If you looked at both, which one and why?

T

TXAZ

New member
I've read from both, question to those who are members or either 1 or both, what was the factor(s) in going with one or the other (or both)?
 
I used to belong to both. I now belong to the NRA.

Several years ago I came to the opinion that GOA were using worse scare tactics than the NRA (which is saying a lot, I admit), and that GOA was pretty much all hat and no cattle in actually doing anything to defend the 2A. The two organizations doing the heavy lifting, then and now, were/are the NRA and the Second Amendment Foundation.
 
I have a positive opinion on both organizations.

I go with the NRA because they do so much more than just advocate for our 2A rights. They originally began as a marksmanship/gun safety/outdoors association, and they have influenced military and law enforcement firearms training. Many states that require training for a CCH permit use classes designed by the NRA. NRA certifies instructors. The NRA provided Eddie Eagle gun safety material to law enforcement agencies. The NRA also contributed knowledge and material to most state's hunter safety courses.

All this, and they ARE the 800 pound gorilla in the ring when it comes to advocating for 2A rights. I don't agree with every decision. I'm not so sure NRA TV is a great idea, or at a minimum I believe some of the contributors should use more tact. I don't like that the NRA sent some top membership to Russia for a "people to people outreach" months after Crimea was annexed. But none-the-less, you have to weight the good with the bad. I believe if you sit down and weigh pros and cons, the NRA will win against most other organizations.

GOA, on the other hand, pushed one of our largest single wins (that has been a double edged sword on occasion, which has been discussed) with DC v Heller. So I'm not quick to pile on them either.
 
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Honestly, I’m not all that happy with the leadership of any of the existing RKBA groups; but the NRA is at least member directed. The remaining organizations, including ones doing good work, are organized as autocracies basically. They do what they want with your money and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to send them more.

I think some of the purist RKBA organizations are more concerned with making money by presenting a hardcore alternative and criticizing the NRA than they are with actually making progress in RKBA. I’m sure that serves some useful purpose in the larger scheme of things; but I don’t choose to support it.

And even the groups like SAF, who have done a ton of good work, occasionally get a screw loose and decide to go support Schumer-Toomey-Manchin background checks. Basically, my list goes like this:

1. State organization (TSRA for me).
2. NRA
3. NRA-ILA, NRA-PVF, SAF
4. NRA Civil Defense Fund
5. NRA Foundation (for tax-deductible charitable giving)
 
I joined NRA before I even owned a gun. I stick with them because I believe they have the most power to advocate for 2A causes. Don't always agree with everything they do. Nothing against GOA, just don't know that much about them. NRA is in the sites of antis because of their influence. Therefore i support them as the front line in this battle.
SAF is another national organization I believe is doing good work.
We are in serious trouble in MA. I support GOAL (gun owners action league) here and have contributed to comm2a, another org that fights for us in the courts.
 
I like NRA over GOA. There's more power in the NRA numbers. Plus, I like what the NRA has been doing and feel it made up for its follies in the 1980's.
 
5whiskey ....GOA, on the other hand, pushed one of our largest single wins (that has been a double edged sword on occasion, which has been discussed) with DC v Heller.
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GOA had jack squat to do with Heller.
While its true they filed an amicus brief, (one of over fifty) they didn't really do anything other than take credit and use that case as a fundraiser.
 
I've been an NRA member for 20+ years. For a couple years was a member of GOA. Nothing really wrong with GOA, but I decided to stay with the NRA because they are a "Dinner table conversation" organization. By that I mean just about everyone knows who and what the NRA is. You don't have to say National Rifle Association, you can say NRA, and even non gun owners know who you are talking about. Can't say that about GOA.
 
Just join them all, or at least don't get into sectarian fighting - we really need to pull all together. For me it's: NRA, ISRA, Illinois Carry, SAF, and soon to be FFL-IL. Also take someone new shooting and get them an NRA membership with magazine.
 
I would check the history of the two organizations and see if one of them opposed concealed carry laws to such an extent that it almost messed up passage in a state.

The reason being ideological purity as the 2nd Amend. says we don't need such laws. Pragmatically, IMHO, we did.
 
GOA. The NRA is too big and the way it's structured they don't answer to the members, they answer to their largest donors. The GOA appreciates you more as a member, the NRA just sees you as more money in their coffers.
 
You might, for a second, look beyond defending our 2nd Amendment rights and ask what else the different groups do.

The NRA wasn't created to defend our rights. It wasn't something needed in 1871. And wasn't needed for nearly 100 years afterwards. Sadly, it's been badly needed since, and we have not won every fight.

The NRA promotes and provides safety and shooting training. That was their mission, and still is. Becoming politically active wasn't the intent, but it has become the necessity.

NRA certified safety training is recognized by the states, and required in some cases (like getting your first hunting license, etc.)

If, for some reason, you are only going to support one group, consider the group that does more than just fight the political fight.
 
A few years back, the NRA was obnoxious about asking for money. Mountains and mountains of junk mail, and telephone calls about Iran and North Korea voting to have the UN take my guns away.

Have they backed off these days? It was a bit too much.

Without straying from forum discussion too far, I also can't decide whether I am more baffled by or disappointed that they gave an award to Ajit Pai for repealing net neutrality.

I do appreciate that the NRA's promotion of safety and training, but if I were going to lay some dollars down, I'd have to do some hard googling and maybe think about SAF these days.
 
My impression of GOA is that they spend most of their time and effort trashing NRA in an effort to raise money and members, and very little of their time and effort in actual lobbying.
 
A few years back, the NRA was obnoxious about asking for money. Mountains and mountains of junk mail, and telephone calls about Iran and North Korea voting to have the UN take my guns away.

Have they backed off these days? It was a bit too much.
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You can "Opt out" of all that. Just call them. The only thing I receive from the NRA is a renewal notice every three years.
 
My impression of GOA is that they spend most of their time and effort trashing NRA in an effort to raise money and members, and very little of their time and effort in actual lobbying
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Oh, they also take credit for things that didn't involve them. When Ohio passed concealed carry after a very contentious session, Larry Pratt took the credit despite the fact that nobody who did the actual work ever heard anything from GOA.

They take the money, and they...I dunno, send some emails?
 
I've been a Life Member of the NRA since 1970, and am now a Benefactor Life Member. I don't belong to GOA because according to them the sky is always falling and our way of life is in constant jeopardy. IIRC they recently blathered about Ohio Governor Kasich adding hundreds to the "do not buy" list, when he was actually trying to hold courts accountable for not reporting dangerous felons' convictions to NCIC. They then turn around an whine about NICS not being effective because this or that felon or mentally deranged shooter was allowed to purchase a firearm. :mad:
 
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