COA Ads Exhumed

Many thanks to WeAreTheMilitia for rescuing our Citizens of America radios spots from Internet Archive Oblivion.

Although COA no longer exists, I still maintain the concept was valid and needed--the only deficiency was in the fundraising model, as it was dependent on gun owner support.

Perhaps I was overreaching when I wrote:

So Citizens of America will eschew the old appeal directed exclusively to middle-aged white males, the celebrity with the shotgun opened over his shoulder, and instead target their messages to people who might never hunt a dove or shoot a sporting clay. They'll show women that they have the power not to be battered or raped; African-Americans that they have the power not to be enslaved; gays that they have the power not to be bashed; and Jews that they have the power to say "Never again!" and back it up. And they'll be shown how they can assume this power; because the common denominator that makes such victimization possible each and every time it happens is that the predator can rely on his prey being helpless.

Citizens of America aims to change that big time.

Pretty ambitious, huh? Pretty naïve. But then again, there were those in the "gun rights community" with a wide reach who were actively sabotaging us and smearing our efforts every step of the way. And it's not like most gun owners are known for getting behind a call to charge forward.

One big caveat--each ad ends in an appeal for support--as COA no longer exists, ignore that appeal. That shouldn't be too hard, considering it was mostly ignored when it would have made a difference...

Sorry to sound so cynical. I gotta admit, it would be tons easier and make me far fewer enemies to just say "enforce existing gun laws" and start giving out undeserved political approvals--especially since that appears to be what the overwhelming majority of "activist" gun owners want to hear and respond to.

But there are rays of hope, and the reason for this post points to one. Many thanks again to WeAreTheMilitia. It took no small amount of time and effort to create this new archive, and I appreciate the generous support.