Gun Owners of America (GOA) is one of those organizations that gun rights activists seem to either love or hate. Those who love the organization do so because it positions itself as never compromising. Its detractors point out that GOA doesn’t have any notable influence.
My position, as an anarchist, is that all forms of gun control are an initiation of force by the state against the people. Any gun control law requires the threat of force so an act as simple as purchasing a suppressor, which is a piece of safety equipment in all honesty, without state approval can lead to a government agent murdering you (if, of course, you refuse to go along with them when they come to kidnap you). I also believe that everybody has the right to defend themselves. That goes for men, women, heterosexuals, homosexuals, bisexuals, transgender individuals, Christian, atheist, Jews, and Muslims. GOA, on the other hand, believes that your religion dictates whether or not you have a right to self-defense.
In that interview, at the 15:50 mark, Larry Pratt says, “Guns Owners of America is a Muslim-free zone.” That’s a direct quote. He then goes on to claim that Muslims disarm everybody wherever they rule. Of course countries such as Iraq, which is ruled by Muslims, allows gun ownership under certain terms. Those terms aren’t that dissimilar to the terms set by many European countries that are ruled by Christians. Religion has little to do with gun ownership laws. Despots everywhere want their subjects disarmed.
In addition to being wrong Pratt also admits that GOA isn’t no compromise. The no compromise position would be that everybody has the right to own firearms. Period. But GOA doesn’t hold that position. It holds the position that if you’re Muslims you are undeserving of even participating in the political process of gun rights advocacy. Pratt is a bigot and has allowed his bigotry to pollute his gun rights organization.
If you are a member of GOA I would urge you to cease sending the organization money. Any gun rights organization that discriminates based on religion isn’t advocating for rights but mere privileges. Right now they’re discriminating against Muslims but later down the road they very well could discriminate against somebody else Pratt doesn’t personally approve of.
Edit: 2018-03-16: The original link to the interview is no longer available. However, the interview can still be heard here.