Gun Owners of America

{{gunnav|1}}'''Gun Owners of America (GOA)''' is an [[United States|American]] [[lobbyist]] group promoting [[gun]] 
hoarding
 rights.  It is significantly smaller than the [[National Rifle Association]] and touts itself as a watchdog of the NRA [[Militia movement|"when we don't think they've gone far enough"]].<ref>Jillian Rayfield, [http://www.salon.com/2013/04/04/gun_owners_of_america_out_hardlines_the_nra/ Gun Owners of America out-hardlines the NRA.] Salon, 4 March 2013.</ref> In comparison with the relatively more mainstream NRA, the GOA is distinctly and radically more [[libertarian]] in its attitudes regarding the [[Second Amendment]].<ref>Christina Wilkie, [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/gun-owners-of-america-newtown-gun-debate-_n_2318951.html Gun Owners Of America Steals Newtown Gun Debate Spotlight While NRA Hides.] ''Huffington Post'', 17 December 2012.</ref>

They are devout advocates of their [[cherry picking|particular reading]] of the Second Amendment, naturally ignoring the qualifier about well-regulated [[militia]]s. They have placed an [[advertisement]] on the [[Oath Keepers]] website.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111216082650/https://oathkeepers.org/oath/bios/ Bios] ''Oath Keepers'' (archived from December 16, 2011).</ref> Their current leader is [[Larry Pratt]], a [[conservative]] [[Christian]] [[gun nut | gun-nut]] who has made several choice statements about [[gun control]] and what it means to be an American. [[PRATT|Pratt]] is a frequent guest on [[Fox News]] whenever [[Roger Ailes]] felt like dialing to a slightly different version of [[insanity]] than what [[Wayne LaPierre]] has to offer.

==History==
Gun Owners of America was formed in 1975 by Larry Pratt, who felt that the National Rifle Association was not taking a strong enough stance against gun control, and H. L. Richardson, who wanted to lobby against a proposed gun ban in [[California]]. Pratt also considered it a reaction to the 1968 gun control act and part of an effort "to oppose the government."<ref name="newyorktimes1" />

==Political positions and activities ==
Compared to the National Rifle Association, the Gun Owners of America are a tiny but very vocal minority. The NRA dwarfs the GOA in membership (5 million versus 2 million), total revenue (nearly $220 million verses less than $2 million for 2011), lobbying spending ($3 million versus $1.3 million), campaign contributions ($1.5 million versus $119,850), and common sense (see below). Despite their small size, they are a growing political power in the American gun debate.<ref name="newyorktimes1" /><ref>[https://gunowners.org/goa-welcomes-kentucky-to-the-constitutional-carry-club/ GOA Welcomes Kentucky to the Constitutional Carry Club.] gunowners.org, 11 March 2019. The organization claims to have over two million members in this press release.</ref>

Gun Owners of America veers so far to the right that they make the NRA look like the Brady Campaign&mdash;a comparison they themselves have probably hurled in the NRA's direction more than once. They not only oppose all new background checks (similar to the NRA), but would also like to see all existing background checks and other gun purchase restrictions removed. Furthermore, a major goal of the group is to also remove penalties for "straw purchases," sales made to those who intend to sell or give the weapon to someone else who cannot pass a background check. As Larry Pratt put it, "There would be no straw purchasing if there were no limits on who can carry a gun." 

While small, the GOA is nonetheless very devoted and talented at using their minuscule might to stop any and all gun control campaigns. They specialize in freezing on-the-fence Republicans who may support gun control laws, while empowering politicians with a strong gun rights record. However, the GOA judges politicians with criteria much stricter than those of the NRA. For example, while the NRA awarded Senator [[Max Baucus]] {{rep|D|MT}} a perfect A grade (making him one of the few Democratic politicians with that distinction), the GOA slapped him with a measly D- for his record on healthcare reform. (The GOA's opposition to the [[Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act]] comes from Pratt's belief that it will be used to find "reason[s] to disenfranchise gun owners," even though the Affordable Care Act in fact explicitly prohibits discrimination against gun owners as well as the compilation of a gun owner database.)<ref name="rightwingwatch1">Brian Tashman, [http://www.rightwingwatch.org/content/pratt-obamacare-take-away-your-guns Larry Pratt: Obamacare Will 'Take Away Your Guns'.] Right Wing Watch, 20 November 2012.</ref>

In 1996, it was revealed that Gun Owners of America gave donations to a [[white supremacist]] attorney's group. Since [[Larry Pratt]] is known to have deep connections with white supremacist groups, this comes as no surprise.<ref name="splc1">[http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2001/summer/false-patriots False Patriots.] [[Southern Poverty Law Center]], 8 May 2001.</ref>

After the horrific [[Sandy Hook shooting]], most gun advocacy groups were initially silent. The NRA declined to comment "until the facts [were] thoroughly known," and the similar National Shooting Sports Foundation (located in Newtown) declared that "it would be inappropriate to comment or participate in media requests at [that] time" out of respect to the people involved. Gun Owners of America's chief counsel, Mike Hammond, blasted these other two groups for having the gumption to not take advantage of a national tragedy to peddle gun nut extremism. They then further displayed their tremendous tact by calling for the removal of gun-free zones from schools, which Pratt called "magnets for the monsters in our society."<ref name="huffpo1">[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/17/gun-owners-of-america-newtown-gun-debate-_n_2318951.html Gun Owners Of America Steals Newtown Gun Debate Spotlight While NRA Hides.] ''[[The Huffington Post]]'', 17 December 2012.</ref> He also accused gun control supporters as being partially responsible for the massacre, saying that gun control advocates "have the [[Appeal to emotion|blood of little children]] on their hands" because their support for gun-free zones supposedly prevented the staff at Newtown from protecting themselves.<ref name="salon2">[http://www.salon.com/2012/12/15/gun_owners_of_america_gun_control_advocates_have_the_blood_of_little_children_on_their_hands/ Gun Owners of America: Gun control advocates "have the blood of little children on their hands."] Salon, 15 December 2012.</ref>

In 2007, the GOA opposed a bill limiting gun access to members of the military with [[post-traumatic stress disorder]]. (The NRA, in comparison, did not oppose it.) 

In February 2013, Senator Tom Coburn {{rep|R|OK}} planned to collaborate with Senator [[Chuck Schumer]] {{rep|D|NY}} on a bill that would have expanded background checks for prospective gun buyers. Gun Owners of America swarmed him and his offices with so many phone calls and emails that he was forced to withdraw from the negotiations, and he has not made any attempt at gun control laws since."<ref name="newyorktimes1">[http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/04/us/politics/gun-owners-of-america-a-lobbying-group-grows-in-influence.html Upstart Group Pushes Harder Than the N.R.A.], ''[[The New York Times]],'' 3 April 2013.</ref>

==Support==
Senator [[Ted Cruz]] {{rep|R|TX}}, who received donations from GOA during his primary campaign and the GOA's most rabid fanboy in the Senate, characterized them as "strong defenders of the Second Amendment."<ref name="newyorktimes1" />

==Criticism==
According to Kenneth Stern, the American Jewish Committee's expert on [[anti-Semitism]] and hate groups and author of the book "A Force Upon the Plain: The American Militia Movement and the Politics of Hate", Larry Pratt's organization "bridges the gap between the far right, anti-Semites, racists, and members of Congress."<ref name="jweekly1">[http://www.jweekly.com/article/full/2591/news-analysis-buchanan-dogged-by-links-to-extremists/ News Analysis: Buchanan dogged by links to extremists.] Jewish News of Northern California, 23 February 1996.</ref>

==Stopped clock==
The GOA, along with its more moderate counterpart the NRA, has voiced strong opposition to a proposal by the Second Trump Administration that would ban trans people from owning firearms.<ref>[https://www.newsweek.com/gun-rights-group-condemn-trump-transgender-firearm-proposal-2125307 Gun Rights Groups Blast Proposal to Block Trans People From Firearms] by Joshua Rhett Miller (Sep 5, 2025). ''Newsweek''.</ref> They have also opposed the administration's response to the {{w|killing of Alex Pretti||,}} claiming the Second Amendment's right to bear arms also applies to protesters.<ref>[https://reason.com/2026/01/25/the-trump-administration-is-lying-about-gun-rights-and-the-death-of-alex-pretti/ The Trump Administration Is Lying About Gun Rights and the Death of Alex Pretti] by Robbie Soave (Jan 25, 2026). ''Reason''.</ref><ref>[https://archive.ph/ePf40 Emily Jashinsky's archived Tweet] (9:24 PM on Jan 24, 2026). Twitter. {{quotebox|NEW statement to me on the Minneapolis shooting from @GunOwners
:<br>

"We are saddened by the loss of life in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier today during a federal law-enforcement operation. Because details remain limited and facts are still emerging, it is essential that the Department of Justice conduct a complete, transparent, and prompt investigation so the public can fully understand what occurred and maintain confidence in the rule of law.<br>

Furthermore, we condemn the untoward comments of U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. Federal agents are not 'highly likely' to be 'legally justified' in 'shooting' concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm. The Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms while protesting—a right the federal government must not infringe upon.<br>

Finally, the Left must stop antagonizing immigration and border patrol agents who are taking criminals off the streets and play a crucial role in protecting communities and upholding the rule of law."}}</ref>

==External links==
*[http://www.gunowners.org Official website]

==References==
{{reflist|2|80%}}

[[Category:Antisemitism]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Gun nuts]]
[[Category:Political action groups]]
[[Category:Racism]]
[[Category:Right-wing activists]]
[[Category:United States politics]]

Categories: Antisemitism, Conspiracy theorists, Gun nuts, Political action groups, Racism, Right-wing activists, United States politics