I'm pretty supportive of GOAL...but

[amm5061]

I had a 2 hour meeting with my Representative and an hour with my useless Senator.

The Rep I used was not intended to stand for Representative, just someone in town politics.

^ I can confirm this. You were in talking to Spilka's aide when I stopped by her office on Lobby Day. Plus you had that one on one with her.

 

[42!]

^ I can confirm this. You were in talking to Spilka's aide when I stopped by her office on Lobby Day. Plus you had that one on one with her.

Ya, I wish I could have that hour of my life back, for all the good it did.

 

[NickW85]

Sounds like the people you talked with would take a week to realize they were hit by a bus. When people in other states see what is happening and it gets some national press, I am not sure what act of stepping it up is necessary to get the attention of the rest other than beating them with a baseball bat that says Healy Hurts Families.

 

[drgrant]

I know GOAL has been working to get the word out, and I've heard they are going to hire a marketing person to help with this. And I've volunteered to help. And if you haven't see me say it before, THANK YOU to all who have been working to make the events a success and get the word out.

But you need to step it up.

I say this after yet another encounter with people who will side with us but didn't know what has been happening.

This evening I was again playing town politics and after the meeting I was talking to a couple people. One is a known Republican, and the other is known to stir up issues by challenging the decisions made. I'll call them Rep and Cha respectively.

Rep and their spouse recently complete their firearms class (I think in Attleborough) in preparation of getting their licenses.

Cha dislikes our AG and wants to see her voted out for a number of reasons.

Neither had heard about what the AG did on 7/20! Or anything about the Remington/Glock issue. Or the NSSF suit (that it was coming since I didn't know it had been filed at that time). Basically they missed most of her overreach.

These are politically active people, one a soon-to-be gun owner. They were on our side before we even had a side, they just didn't know.

We have supporters out there that don't know GOAL or these issues exist.

I don't disagree I just think that some of it is a conduit issue. Most people only know the stupid garbage they see splattered on TV or print media, with radio being a
distant third. Particularly with the "over 50 set" that don't have bigger internet/social media footprints.

Then we have outlets like Faux News who are supposed to be "conservative" and probably know all about 7/20 but haven't been bothered enough to run a
piece on it. It should be national news- that a state AG WAY overstepped their boundaries. This is like nifong level duke rape case bullshit, but nobody will
carry it "cuz guns".

-Mike

 

[LuvDog]

This forum is very in tune with 2A and what our AG has done. We're also fully supportive of the pro 2A groups such as GOAL.

The problem as has been mentioned in this thread is that we're not even a drop in the bucket of gun owners in the state. While we may think it's common knowledge, it really isn't.

The vast majority of people out there really have no idea. I agree with the OP... hardly anyone outside of our walls has any clue about 7/20.

I'm not blaming GOAL... I'm doing what I can, and I've had conversations with several political candidates about this and other topics.

I believe 42! is just trying to say... we need to reach an audience that we haven't yet been able to connect with.

I don't disagree I just think that some of it is a conduit issue. Most people only know the stupid garbage they see splattered on TV or print media, with radio being a

distant third. Particularly with the "over 50 set" that don't have bigger internet/social media footprints.

Then we have outlets like Faux News who are supposed to be "conservative" and probably know all about 7/20 but haven't been bothered enough to run a
piece on it. It should be national news- that a state AG WAY overstepped their boundaries. This is like nifong level duke rape case bullshit, but nobody will
carry it "cuz guns".

-Mike

I'm not sure it's just the over 50 set... most people in their 20-30's never look up from their phones, facebook, twitter, instagram, snap. So unless we get in to their feeds, they will be completely unaware.

 

[J.A.C]

The problem today, especially for younger people is they don't know what a real issue is. Bruce Jenner wanting to be a woman isn't a real issue, anything about a movie star or reality show isn't a real issue. Media has clouded what is substantial and what isn't for many people.

 

[GlockJock]

Is Goal supposed to start going door to door?

Yes, apparently GOAL is supposed to go door to door and do ALL the legwork - so that 95% of the loudest bitchers among gun owners can sit home, drink beer, eat hot dogs and fart up a storm...
You want them complainers and whiners to go door to door?....For God's sake, man! They get home from work, eat dinner and look, it's already 630pm - and the Bruins game usually starts at 7.
Doesn't leave a lot of free time.

Just sayin'

 

[drgrant]

This forum is very in tune with 2A and what our AG has done. We're also fully supportive of the pro 2A groups such as GOAL.

The problem as has been mentioned in this thread is that we're not even a drop in the bucket of gun owners in the state. While we may think it's common knowledge, it really isn't.

The vast majority of people out there really have no idea. I agree with the OP... hardly anyone outside of our walls has any clue about 7/20.

I'm not blaming GOAL... I'm doing what I can, and I've had conversations with several political candidates about this and other topics.

I believe 42! is just trying to say... we need to reach an audience that we haven't yet been able to connect with.



I'm not sure it's just the over 50 set... most people in their 20-30's never look up from their phones, facebook, twitter, instagram, snap. So unless we get in to their feeds, they will be completely unaware.

True, but if they are doing that, and they are interested in guns at all, then that stuff is probably in their feed somewhere. On the other hand the 75 year old gun owner that maybe checks his email twice a week doesn't even know that 7/20 happened, unless they happened to catch the 10 second sidebars on the news or print media that only graze the issue. I have a bunch of older friends that own guns. (older meaning 50+) . only a small handful of them out of the whole even knew that something happened with ARs in MA. (and most of these guys are either already here, on NES FB, or they are GOAL, COMM2A members... The rest were just oblivious. )

I think the OP was mostly referring to "people who would be sympathetic to our cause as a generality, already" rather than the general public.

-Mike

 

[Mike S]

True, but if they are doing that, and they are interested in guns at all, then that stuff is probably in their feed somewhere. On the other hand the 75 year old gun owner that maybe checks his email twice a week doesn't even know that 7/20 happened, unless they happened to catch the 10 second sidebars on the news or print media that only graze the issue. I have a bunch of older friends that own guns. (older meaning 50+) . only a small handful of them out of the whole even knew that something happened with ARs in MA. (and most of these guys are either already here, on NES FB, or they are GOAL, COMM2A members... The rest were just oblivious. )

I think the OP was mostly referring to "people who would be sympathetic to our cause as a generality, already" rather than the general public.

-Mike

Shit, we still get calls from oldsters who are pissed off b/c they just found out that their paper LTC issued "for life" in 1994 is no longer valid.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Shit, we still get calls from oldsters who are pissed off b/c they just found out that their paper LTC issued "for life" in 1994 is no longer valid.

Slight correction - it was the FID. They never issued lifetime LTCs.

 

[robjax]

I would agree that GOAL needs to advertise more. But people who don't know about what Healey has done obviously do not watch the news or read the news.


Now these are all listed on the NRA.org site but most of these are major publications....So how is it your friends had no idea? No offense...just curious.

https://www.nraila.org/?page=3&stat...191,8182,8186,8183,8187,8177&geo=#latest-news




BOSTON GLOBE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2016
Massachusetts: Gun sellers sue AG on ban
The firearms industry and individual Massachusetts gun shops filed a lawsuit in US District Court Thursday against Attorney ...



WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
Massachusetts Attorney General Uses Consumer Protection Law to Attack Glock, Remington
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is facing legal action because of her use of the state’s consumer protection ...



DAILY HAMPSHIRE GAZETTE
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2016
Massachusetts: Amherst Select Board backs gun-control principles
Amherst officials support measures by a national gun control organization that promotes efforts to stop illegal guns, extend ...



BOSTON GLOBE
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2016
Massachusetts: AG Healey wages another battle against gun makers
Attorney General Maura Healey has launched a sweeping investigation into possible safety problems involving guns manufactured by at ...



BOSTON HERALD
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2016
Massachusetts: Rolling rally protests AG Maura Healey’s ‘abuse of authority’ on 2nd Amendment
Dozens of gun owners drove a 55-mile rolling rally yesterday to oppose Attorney General Maura Healey’s ban on ...



BOSTON HERALD
MONDAY, AUGUST 29, 2016
Boston Herald: Maura Healey shoots Dems in foot with gun grab
Attorney General Maura Healey’s controversial "assault weapons" crackdown has become yet another political land mine threatening the Bay ...





NEWS
FRIDAY, AUGUST 26, 2016
Massachusetts AG Renews Attack on Gun Owners
Last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey added to the confusion caused by her decision to unilaterally ban ...
























WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2016
Gun Rights Fight Heats Up in Massachusetts
Gun rights advocates in Massachusetts are turning up the heat against the state’s attorney general, who they say ...


MASSLIVE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016
Sen. Elizabeth Warren backs Attorney General Maura Healey in 'copycat' weapons crackdown
US Sen. Elizabeth Warren is coming to Maura Healey's aid, saying gun activists "picked a fight with the ...





LEGAL & LEGISLATION
THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2016
Massachusetts: Help Stop AG Healey! Attend Boxborough Fundraiser Event!
On Monday, August 15, Gun Owner’s Action League is hosting a rally and fundraiser in Boxborough in the ...



ASSOCIATED PRESS
MONDAY, AUGUST 1, 2016
Massachusetts: DeLeo Says Courts Will Likely Settle Healey’s ‘Copycat’ Assault Weapons Ban
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo says he expects the dispute over Attorney General Maura Healey’s crackdown on so-called ...





NEWS
LEGAL & LEGISLATION
FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2016
Massachusetts Officials Question AG Gun Ban
As we reported last week, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey unilaterally banned many common firearms via executive action. AG Healey’s “enforcement ...





LEGAL & LEGISLATION
THURSDAY, JULY 28, 2016
Massachusetts: Attend State House Lobby Day This Saturday!
This weekend, the Massachusetts Legislature will adjourn from its 2016 Legislative Session. Use this opportunity to stand up for ...





HUNTING
LEGAL & LEGISLATION
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2016
Massachusetts: Ivory Ban Legislation May Be Heard in the Senate This Week
With only a few days left in the 2016 legislative session, Senate Bill 2241 could still come to vote before ...



BEACON HILL PATCH
WEDNESDAY, JULY 27, 2016
Governor Calls for Clarity in "Assault Weapons" Ban Enforcement
Gov. Charlie Baker supports Massachusetts' longstanding assault weapons ban, but he nonetheless had questions Tuesday for Massachusetts Attorney ...





NEWS
LEGAL & LEGISLATION
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Massachusetts Attorney General Unilaterally Bans Thousands of Previously Legal Guns
On July 19, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey issued an “enforcement notice” that greatly expands the Commonwealth’s definition of “assault ...



BOSTON GLOBE
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016

















BOSTON GLOBE
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Massachusetts: GOAL says it will rally against Healey’s ‘rogue’ actions on assault weapons
The Gun Owners’ Action League, the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association, is calling for gun owners ...



WCVB
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Massachusetts: Pro-gun rights supporters gather outside State House
Pro-gun rights supporters gathered outside the State House Thursday to protest Attorney General Maura Healey's plan to step ...


WWLP
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Massachusetts: Gun rights groups protesting Healey’s crackdown on “copycat” weapons
Attorney General Maura Healey’s announcement Wednesday that she would step up enforcement of the state’s assault weapons ban, ...





LEGAL & LEGISLATION
FRIDAY, JULY 22, 2016
Massachusetts: Attend the Rally Against Attorney General Healey’s Gun Ban
On Wednesday, Attorney General Healey overstepped her authority as Attorney General in an attempt to further restrict the Second Amendment ...



NATIONAL REVIEW ONLINE
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
Massachusetts Attorney General Unilaterally Rewrites the State’s Gun Laws
Without the legislature, without the governor, and without any form of public consultation, the attorney general of Massachusetts ...





LEGAL & LEGISLATION
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
Massachusetts: Attorney General Healey Attacks Your Second Amendment Rights!
Yesterday, Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey announced that she wants to further restrict the Second Amendment rights of ...



BOSTON GLOBE
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
Massachusetts: Gun buyers rush to store following AG attack on semi-automatic firearms
Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League, the state affiliate of the National Rifle Association, ...



ASSOCIATED PRESS
THURSDAY, JULY 21, 2016
Massachusetts: AG targets semi-automatic firearms
The announcement prompted many gun dealers to head to their favorite shop to purchase a firearm. At the ...

 

[Matt2109]

OP: why are you blaming GOAL for people being stupid and not aware? You and many others lately are armchair quarterbacks and complainers and experts.

This!!! It is US to do just as you did OP and talk to as many uninformed people as possible to get them informed.

 

[LuvDog]

I would agree that GOAL needs to advertise more. But people who don't know about what Healey has done obviously do not watch the news or read the news.


Now these are all listed on the NRA.org site but most of these are major publications....So how is it your friends had no idea? No offense...just curious.

No offense taken... here's my take.

You're right... a lot of people I know are so tired of the "news" because of its doom and gloom and it's one sided story telling that they don't want to watch the main stream media.

As for your lengthy list of linked articles... how many were front and center and top of the page? Going out and actively searching for this topic is one thing, but it's not something that hits the top of the feed for most people out there who aren't as pro active about 2A as we are.

From what I see, it's mostly celebrity crap that gets the bold links.

I agree, we are well versed on this topic because it's important to us. For a lot of the fringe people out there who identify as conservative/republican and pro rights, they aren't actively involved in shooting sports or forums. This message just isn't reaching them.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone... I'm just relaying on what I see among various circles of people that I encounter. They are well educated, good jobs, family oriented. But they really have no idea what our AG has done... and if they have heard about it, it's been spun to be a positive thing about getting black killy guns off the street. It's been nothing about her abuse of power.

I'm glad GOAL is trying to keep the message going that she's overstepping her bounds and not trying to keep it focused on guns.

Again, I applaud all the GOAL is doing... same for NSSF... and for everyone here who is donating time and money.

It's us who need to get the message out to more and more people and groups of people. I'm not saying I have any better answers... but I do say that we can't ignore the fact that we need to reach a different and wider audience.

 

[ggboy]

I remember talking to the members of my local gun club during the hearings in 2012..I was greeted with blank stares and disbelief.
I do think that goal should be attending and speaking at more local gun clubs.
Most people are also simply unaware of how draconian our gun laws are. And a lot of people who tell me " I'm a gun guy too" gave me the same blank stare when I asked
them if thy had testified at any of the hearings.
I know a few "motorcycle guys "that might be a "target audiance" perhaps some the local clubs coud also be educated on our laws.
Are there any other "target audiances " that goal could be talking to ?
ggboy

 

[Dadstoys]

Expect no one to learn anything via the main stream media.
The misrepresentation of what she has done by the major news outlets is deliberate and will continue.
I actually called the news desk at Faux news and asked them why they left out the part of the story where she just declared 400k people in this state felons.
The snooty little butt hole I spoke with informed me that that was all the coverage they were going to give the issue and threw in the comment that he didn't understand why "You people" don't just give up your guns and not have to worry about being charged with a crime.
That's what we're up against.
Don't expect folks that get their information from the 6 o'clock news to have any grasp of what's really going on

Knowing that then , we have to go around them.
Thankfully social media gives us options that never existed before.
I have faith that GOAL is doing the best they can with what they have to work with .
Get out and start talking to people.
I talked to one young guy who I know is an owner and on occasion even reads NES and he just gave me a blank look when I joked with him asking how he enjoyed life as a felon.
He had no idea. He does now.

 

[spt_1955]

So, they don't watch the news, they don't read news papers, we are supposed to reach them how?

You people need to get out in the world. Unless you read the Globe or watched the news on 7/20 or 7/21 why would you know what was going on unless you are part of the "gun crowd". The GOAL rallies got 10 seconds on WCVB and the explanation of what the rally was about was superficial at best.

Think about what each of you has heard that wasn't (1)Here on NES, (2)on some Facebook group you are part of, or (3) at your club or with club members.

Good luck with organizing media coverage in this state. If you read the Globe article today on the NSSF lawsuit it's a a diatribe about "the AG ban is working.. the gun industry is suing her."

 

[Len-2A Training]

I remember talking to the members of my local gun club during the hearings in 2012..I was greeted with blank stares and disbelief.
I do think that goal should be attending and speaking at more local gun clubs.
Most people are also simply unaware of how draconian our gun laws are. And a lot of people who tell me " I'm a gun guy too" gave me the same blank stare when I asked
them if thy had testified at any of the hearings.
I know a few "motorcycle guys "that might be a "target audiance" perhaps some the local clubs coud also be educated on our laws.
Are there any other "target audiances " that goal could be talking to ?
ggboy

Invite Jim to your club. GOAL will attend a meeting and explain what they are doing, they just need an invitation. It really is that simple.

I've done it in the past at one club I've belonged to and two of my clubs had/have GOAL BOD members as officers who kept/keep us informed each month. The fourth club I used to belong to had very close ties to GOAL and Mike Yacino (this was in the 1970s-90s when he was Exec. Director) was a frequent guest speaker at that club.

 

[robjax]

No offense taken... here's my take.

You're right... a lot of people I know are so tired of the "news" because of its doom and gloom and it's one sided story telling that they don't want to watch the main stream media.

As for your lengthy list of linked articles... how many were front and center and top of the page? Going out and actively searching for this topic is one thing, but it's not something that hits the top of the feed for most people out there who aren't as pro active about 2A as we are.

From what I see, it's mostly celebrity crap that gets the bold links.

I agree, we are well versed on this topic because it's important to us. For a lot of the fringe people out there who identify as conservative/republican and pro rights, they aren't actively involved in shooting sports or forums. This message just isn't reaching them.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone... I'm just relaying on what I see among various circles of people that I encounter. They are well educated, good jobs, family oriented. But they really have no idea what our AG has done... and if they have heard about it, it's been spun to be a positive thing about getting black killy guns off the street. It's been nothing about her abuse of power.

I'm glad GOAL is trying to keep the message going that she's overstepping her bounds and not trying to keep it focused on guns.

Again, I applaud all the GOAL is doing... same for NSSF... and for everyone here who is donating time and money.

It's us who need to get the message out to more and more people and groups of people. I'm not saying I have any better answers... but I do say that we can't ignore the fact that we need to reach a different and wider audience.

I cannot agree with you more that we all need to do more. In fact even if we get everything to go our way that would not be a time to let up on our position. As far as the links I did get them off the NRA site as i had mentioned.

But....a some were in the Boston Herald and others in the Boston Glove. The AP had one or two....I have no idea where your friends go to get their news. And yes, I agree that NES and GOAL keep a lot of us in the loop. So that is even more reason for your friends to join GOAL or at least come out here on occasion...

The best way to stay "in the know" is to keep in touch with like minded people, organizations and web sites.

But this statement of yours right here is a great suggestion for all of us...

"It's us who need to get the message out to more and more people and groups of people. I'm not saying I have any better answers... but I do say that we can't ignore the fact that we need to reach a different and wider audience."

I know I am doing what I can and a lot of others on here are as well. And yes, reflecting on it after reading that statement I can probably do more. So I will make the effort. Our work will never be done. If and when we get what we want then we have to start to work to keep it.

 

[-B-]

press releases are free , so too are new conferences neither have been done why ? Healy went on the attack as of yet zero attack back at her for the issue or her aspirations of furthering her political career it by now should be in ruins yet noting has been done by the supposed smart people in the room .... just another roll over and take it fight it quietly BS

 

[Chris]

And why do you think that none of this was done?

You need to understand that the media is corrupt and the most anyone that isn't in-line with the approved message get is:

press releases are free , so too are new conferences neither have been done why ? Healy went on the attack as of yet zero attack back at her for the issue or her aspirations of furthering her political career it by now should be in ruins yet noting has been done by the supposed smart people in the room .... just another roll over and take it fight it quietly BS

 

[free]

press releases are free , so too are new conferences neither have been done why ? Healy went on the attack as of yet zero attack back at her for the issue or her aspirations of furthering her political career it by now should be in ruins yet noting has been done by the supposed smart people in the room .... just another roll over and take it fight it quietly BS

Are YOU ready to lead?

 

[jasons]

How many of our MA clubs sent out a newsletter or some other sort of notification? How about even an email or some social media posts? How many of our MA clubs are affiliated with GOAL or the NSSF? How many post flyers advertising these orgs or run GOAL membership drives? How many invite GOAL representatives to local club events?

All politics is local. If your local club isn't doing much, and you as a member aren't showing up at every board meeting to push the issue, then you should probably jump off the GOAL blamewagon.

 

[jasons]

And why do you think that none of this was done?

You need to understand that the media is corrupt and the most anyone that isn't in-line with the approved message get is:

This.

The bottom line is that we can't expect GOAL to do all of the heavy lifting, and we can't expect the "mass media" to be sympathetic to our cause.

We know that a fraction of MA gun owners belong to GOAL, but I would bet that the vast majority belong to a gun club somewhere. Do the math.

 

[vickers]

I know GOAL has been working to get the word out, and I've heard they are going to hire a marketing person to help with this. And I've volunteered to help. And if you haven't see me say it before, THANK YOU to all who have been working to make the events a success and get the word out.

But you need to step it up.

I say this after yet another encounter with people who will side with us but didn't know what has been happening.

This evening I was again playing town politics and after the meeting I was talking to a couple people. One is a known Republican, and the other is known to stir up issues by challenging the decisions made. I'll call them Rep and Cha respectively.

Rep and their spouse recently complete their firearms class (I think in Attleborough) in preparation of getting their licenses.

Cha dislikes our AG and wants to see her voted out for a number of reasons.

Neither had heard about what the AG did on 7/20! Or anything about the Remington/Glock issue. Or the NSSF suit (that it was coming since I didn't know it had been filed at that time). Basically they missed most of her overreach.

These are politically active people, one a soon-to-be gun owner. They were on our side before we even had a side, they just didn't know.

We have supporters out there that don't know GOAL or these issues exist.

Not sure why gun owners wouldn't know about this but I can say a lot of my non-gun owning friends and family either heard nothing about this, maybe heard/saw it but didn't pay much attention or heard about it and because of the way the media presented it assumed it was a positive move. In fact my father in law who is mildly anti, or maybe better described as FUDD as he isn't anti-2a but anti-military style weapons, had just assumed all of Healey's assertions were true and that she was just cracking down on people that were using loopholes to violate the law. So ya, the message of goal isn't really getting out to everyone but maybe that's a big ask considering the expense of a wide media campaign and the fact that this is Mass and most are disinclined to care about gun stuff at the least.

 

[JayMcB]

Not sure why gun owners wouldn't know about this but I can say a lot of my non-gun owning friends and family either heard nothing about this, maybe heard/saw it but didn't pay much attention or heard about it and because of the way the media presented it assumed it was a positive move. In fact my father in law who is mildly anti, or maybe better described as FUDD as he isn't anti-2a but anti-military style weapons, had just assumed all of Healey's assertions were true and that she was just cracking down on people that were using loopholes to violate the law. So ya, the message of goal isn't really getting out to everyone but maybe that's a big ask considering the expense of a wide media campaign and the fact that this is Mass and most are disinclined to care about gun stuff at the least.

My neighbor was on vacation on the West coast the week she re-wrote the law. he never heard a peep until I texted him and asked if he wanted to have a beer with a fellow felon. And he is a gun club member and an AR-15 owner (at my suggestion). The point is, in a media-saturated world, it's an uphill climb to get eyeballs even if you are an interested party. The NES Pro-2a echo chamber doesn't resonate the same in the mainstream-moonbat society.....and there are plenty of active NES members living in MA who aren't GOAL members. The short answer is 'there is strength in numbers.' Buy one or 2 less boxes of ammo a year, and get on the rolls.