Should I join NRA or GOA?

Again, remember with politicians it's all a numbers game. How many people are on what side of the question. The philosophical merits of an argument mean virtually nothing. The NRA probably does as well for us as it can with a membership of roughly 5% of the gun owning public. At the same time, and even though I'm also a member of GOA, I just can't think of anything they've actually accomplished for us. GOA talks tough, and we like that. But how much influence do they really have in Washington and the halls of government generally?
 
I'm a member of both and would advise you to join them both, too. Just remember that NO political organization acts as the final defense of our gun rights. That role is served by our guns. The NRA and GOA exist so that we'll never need to use our guns to defend our gun rights.

Yes, I have problems with the NRA. I think they're WAY too concerned about being politically correct, too often framing the Second Amendment in terms of the "rights of sportsmen and hunters." :barf: Sure, they also discuss defense against common criminals. But that's not what the 2A is about, and it's not good enough. At the very least, they should be lobbying extremely hard for the repeal of the machine gun ban and the import ban.

When Charleton Heston held up that musket and declared, "From my cold, dead hands!" I was not impressed. Power-mad governments do not fear muskets. If it had been an AR-15, a FAL, or an AK, then it would have been somewhat more impressive.
 
Again, what the NRA, or any lobbying organization, can do depends on how many members=votes=campaign contributions that organization can deliver. Lobbying is not, in the final analysis, about explaining why a particular policy or piece of legislation is good or right or the right thing to do. It's about explaining how a particular policy or piece of legislation will help a politician further his career goals.

Anti-gun politicians understand that they were put in office by anti-gun voters, with the help of anti-gun campaign contributions. They won't be swayed by however much evidence we can marshal that their views aren't good for the country. They'll be swayed only if their careers would be in jeopardy.

Sure, it might be nice for the NRA to lobby for repeal of the machine gun and import bans. But the reality is that with a membership of roughly 5% of the gun owning public, they'd be unlikely to be able to get any meaningful traction for such policies, even with an enormous effort. If NRA membership were 15% or 20% of the gun owning public, things would be different.
 
Last edited:
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.
Click to expand...

Actually, the GOA gets painted with it (the tin foil hat) because they design it, manufacture it, sell it, and then proudly wear it.

Wouldn't surprise me to see that GOA's rabid support of Ron Paul cost him in various facets of this last race.

Jeff
 
I sense that the "tin foil hat" and "Fringe group" comments comes from TFL members who support McCain and dislike Ron Paul?
Click to expand...

Not quite. Many have just seen GOA spin out anti-NRA rhetoric as a form of driving up membership and/or settling grudges between leadership.

The NRA has screwed up and/or not carried things as far as needed. But it's also achieved far more than GOA ever has.

If the NRA was half as bad as GOA and others make it out to be, most firearms would be illegal.
 
I'm not even in the US and I'm a member of both GOA and NRA. The rationale behind this is that gun rights everywhere we have a precarious hold - like here in Argentina - will rise and fall as they do in the United States. You guys have a strong constitution, it's not a common thing and best you support it.

I've been an NRA Life Member for many years - long before gun ownership was a political issue and the NRA was dedicated more to the sport and technical help in gun matters - the old American Rifleman Magazine was worth a subscription just for its content (better than Guns or Guns and Ammo and all the others. I'm retired now but have been a firearms instructor, event organizer (was among the bunch that introduced IPSC ('Practical' Shooting) shooting here, built some Cowboy Action events (fizzled) and generally very busy. During the Reagan Administration I went the extra mile and contributed to the NRA Golden Eagle campaign. I must say through a long involvement with firearms - even at this distance, the NRA has been a great help.

GOA is great for you though, as it has a less compromising position on the 2d. Amendment.

In the same spirit, I'm a life member of SASS, have been of the NMLRA and others that I may not recall right now.
 
This should be a Sticky! NRA, is good but do some things that make me Cringe. $35.00 year and has Cajones!:D

NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA, NRA,
 
YES. You should join the NRA and the GOA and the SAF and any other pro second ammendment organization willing to stand and fight for our rights.
 
I'd never heard of the GOA until this string which I have been reading since it started. I have had my eyes opened after spending quite a bit of time on the GOA's website researching it, and am seriously considering getting a life membership in the GOA to augment my lifer with the NRA.
 
All the pro-gun organizations that support the 2A are good to join, whether it be the NRA, JFPO, SAS, GOA, or whatever. The NRA has the most political influence and is the largest organization covering shooting events, activities, clubs, etc. It is a good idea to join more than one organization if you can afford to do so. :)

The criticizers bashing certain orgs. need to leave their opinions to themselves. No organization can please 100% of the people 100% of the time. :(
 
The criticizers bashing certain orgs. need to leave their opinions to themselves. No organization can please 100% of the people 100% of the time.
Click to expand...

Good idea. Send the same message to GOA, since they tend to be the biggest basher around.
 
The criticizers bashing certain orgs. need to leave their opinions to themselves. No organization can please 100% of the people 100% of the time.
Click to expand...

Perhaps when the GOA stops attacking the NRA at every opportunity in order to fill their own coffers I might follow that advice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top