Interview with GOA's Larry Pratt

Gun Rights Examiner ^ | October 30,2010 | David Codrea

[Neil E. Wright]

As Election Day 2010 approaches, there is much to be found in the media about the National Rifle Association and its political grades and endorsements. There's another, albeit smaller organization out there working hard to bring us candidate evaluations that gun activists are well aware of, Gun Owners of America, designated "The only no-compromise gun lobby in Washington" by Rep. Ron Paul.

Because GOA takes a somewhat different approach that can yield different performance assessments, tensions sometimes arise between its supporters and NRA's, along with often acrimonious, even bitter debate. And because this election has such potential to impact gun owners, I thought it important to learn not just about GOA and the man who is the driving force behind it, but to seek his assessment of some of the criticism being promoted in some quarters.

As such, you'll find some of the questions come across as adversarial. A friend and advisor even scolded me a bit when I showed them to him, telling me he wouldn't be surprised if my interview request were denied. Having followed GOA Executive Director Larry Pratt's efforts for many years, including corresponding with the man and finally having had the privilege of meeting him in person last April at both the Second Amendment March and the Restore the Constitution rally, I had faith that this is a man of principle and courage who would not retreat from speaking his mind.

[Neil E. Wright]

Posted for your information. Tuesday is the day we start to restore the Republic or risk losing it.

America! It's about

★ FREEDOM! ★

★ Estimated Value – PRICELESS! ★

[Spitzensparkin1]

Larry Pratt took time out to visit our small town group of 2nd Amend. patriots back in ‘96 as a guest speaker. No one from the leadership of the NRA ever did anything like that for us in all these years. They have grown too large and bloated, too much overhead, trying to please everyone and have lost their vision somewhere along the way. All we get are the endless requests for money. Now they are backing incumbents who continue to threaten my rights. I feel like my donations are better spent defending the 2nd Amend. by donating $$$ to the GOA.

[ozzymandus]

If GOA didn’t spend all it’s time bashing the NRA, it wouldn’t have anything to talk about.

[STD]

the NRA’s filled with the best intentions. Just like the road to hell. I say enough is enough. Get off the sinking ship Rat’s

[STD]

the NRA’s filled with the best intentions. Just like the road to hell. I say enough is enough. Get off the sinking ship Rat’s

[STD]

the NRA’s filled with the best intentions. Just like the road to hell. I say enough is enough. Get off the sinking ship Rat’s

[STD]

the NRA’s filled with the best intentions. Just like the road to hell. I say enough is enough. Get off the sinking ship Rat’s

[STD]

the NRA’s filled with the best intentions. Just like the road to hell. I say enough is enough. Get off the sinking ship Rat’s

[ozzymandus]

Come again?

[Repeal The 17th]

GOA is an ally.
NRA is an ally.
Pitting them against each other is unproductive.
Anyone who doesn’t understand this is just tone deaf.

[deoetdoctrinae]

I’m sorry, could you repeat that?

[John the Savage]

If GOA didn’t spend all it’s time bashing the NRA, it wouldn’t have anything to talk about.

That's actually the main reason I'm a life member. The GOA may not have much lobbying power, but it keeps the NRA a lot more honest than it would otherwise be.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? In this case, the GOA does.