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MOCA Name Change

shanebelanger

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
667
Location
Freeport, Maine, United States
Hey everybody,
we are currently looking to change the name of the Maine Open Carry Association to something more CCW applicable. We will still have OC motivation, but we will also, like we already do protect CCW as well. A few names that we have been throwing around are: Constitutional Carry America, Citizens for Constitutional Carry and simple Constitutional Carry. opinions? anyone have other name ideas?
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
You could go with a classic... Maine Citizens Defense League :D

On another note, does MOCA have decent name recognition in Maine? Would it confuse people to change your name. Just something to think about.
 
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boyscout399

Regular Member
Joined
May 23, 2008
Messages
905
Location
Lyman, Maine
Constitutionally Armed Public (CAP)
Constitutionally Armed Maine Public (CAMP)
Maine Armed Public (MAP)
Legally Armed Maine People (LAMP)
Legally Armed Citizens To Advocate Total Equality (LACTATE) <-Joke
Armed Maine People (AMP)
Restore Our Armed Rights (ROAR)
Restore Armed Maine Public (RAMP)
Legally Armed Public (LAP)
Constitutionally Armed Citizens Against People Ordering Others (CACAPOO) <-- LOL
 
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shanebelanger

Accomplished Advocate
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Messages
667
Location
Freeport, Maine, United States
You could go with a classic... Maine Citizens Defense League :D

On another note, does MOCA have decent name recognition in Maine? Would it confuse people to change your name. Just something to think about.

the problems that we are facing is partially because of our name. People think that we only deal with open carry, which is completely incorrect. We are trying to change it with a new name.
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
the problems that we are facing is partially because of our name. People think that we only deal with open carry, which is completely incorrect. We are trying to change it with a new name.

Oh, I agree a name change makes sense. A new name would be more inclusive of all firearms lovers. I was just concerned that folks might already be aware of MOCA and a name change might confuse some of the slower folks.
 

thebigsd

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2010
Messages
3,535
Location
Quarryville, PA
who is the slower folks???????????????


Xd-over

No one here... I was just referring to those folks who potentially might not understand or follow the name change. For example, those folks who are aware of MOCA but don't really follow them and might not realize they are the same group if they change the name to MCDL or whatever.
 

crdonov

Regular Member
Joined
May 16, 2010
Messages
463
Location
south portland, Maine, USA
no one here... I was just referring to those folks who potentially might not understand or follow the name change. For example, those folks who are aware of moca but don't really follow them and might not realize they are the same group if they change the name to mcdl or whatever.

ok!!!

Xd-over
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
In my opinion it sounds too militia like. I see MOCA as more of a civil rights organization and PAC for change than a militia.

VCDL (Virginia Citizens Defense League) started out as Northern Virginia Citizens Defense League and then went statewide when it was realized there were folks who did not live in NoVa who supported the concept. And their initial purpose was to move concealed carry from "may issue" to "shall issue". They quickly realized that it is not just about OC, or just CC, or just hunting, or just target shooting, or any single issue - it's about defending all 2A rights.

Since then organizations using the VCDL structure as name as a model have organized as A[rizona]ZCDL,
C[onnecticutt]CDL, W[est]V[irginia]CDL, N[orth]W[est]CDL, L[one]S[tar]CDL, M[aryland]CDL, and I[daho]CDL, just to name the ones I can recall off the top of my head.

This is not so much to support M[aine]CDL as a name as it is to refute your contention that it carries a negative malitia-like sound usually associated with paranoid freaks running around in the woods plotting the overthrow of something. "x" Citizens Defense League brings with it some powerful name association, which is an additional factor to consider.

But whatever you decide to call yourself, I wish you all the success possible.

stay safe.
 

boyscout399

Regular Member
Joined
May 23, 2008
Messages
905
Location
Lyman, Maine
VCDL (Virginia Citizens Defense League) started out as Northern Virginia Citizens Defense League and then went statewide when it was realized there were folks who did not live in NoVa who supported the concept. And their initial purpose was to move concealed carry from "may issue" to "shall issue". They quickly realized that it is not just about OC, or just CC, or just hunting, or just target shooting, or any single issue - it's about defending all 2A rights.

Since then organizations using the VCDL structure as name as a model have organized as A[rizona]ZCDL,
C[onnecticutt]CDL, W[est]V[irginia]CDL, N[orth]W[est]CDL, L[one]S[tar]CDL, M[aryland]CDL, and I[daho]CDL, just to name the ones I can recall off the top of my head.

This is not so much to support M[aine]CDL as a name as it is to refute your contention that it carries a negative malitia-like sound usually associated with paranoid freaks running around in the woods plotting the overthrow of something. "x" Citizens Defense League brings with it some powerful name association, which is an additional factor to consider.

But whatever you decide to call yourself, I wish you all the success possible.

stay safe.

I know that the CDL has no militia qualities, and I support them. I just think that to an outside (especially liberal) person, it may turn them off before they even get to know us. I also believe that the possibility exists, however slight, that if one is associated with an organization calling itself a Citizens Defense League and one has to use their firearm defensively, that an overzealous prosecutor is going to paint you as a militia member who was looking to get into a gunfight.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
I know that the CDL has no militia qualities, and I support them. I just think that to an outside (especially liberal) person, it may turn them off before they even get to know us. I also believe that the possibility exists, however slight, that if one is associated with an organization calling itself a Citizens Defense League and one has to use their firearm defensively, that an overzealous prosecutor is going to paint you as a militia member who was looking to get into a gunfight.

Over zealous prosecutor taking this tact is going to be seriously embarrassed. Defense of one self is at the core values of this nation. I would point out that VCDL uses a Minute Man in the center of our logo and that no prosecutor has ever attempted to make a negative out of that.

Do we in any way espouse being a para-military organization? Absolutely not.

Based on the number of other states that have selected to mirror the _CDL image, I'd have to conclude that they give no credence to that concern. There is a thing as being to cautious to the perceptions of others. Consider in this case the high recognition factor.
 

boyscout399

Regular Member
Joined
May 23, 2008
Messages
905
Location
Lyman, Maine
Over zealous prosecutor taking this tact is going to be seriously embarrassed. Defense of one self is at the core values of this nation. I would point out that VCDL uses a Minute Man in the center of our logo and that no prosecutor has ever attempted to make a negative out of that.

Do we in any way espouse being a para-military organization? Absolutely not.

Based on the number of other states that have selected to mirror the _CDL image, I'd have to conclude that they give no credence to that concern. There is a thing as being to cautious to the perceptions of others. Consider in this case the high recognition factor.

The problem as I see it is the recognition factor. I don't believe a sampling from the general public of Maine that would make up a jury is going to recognize the various CDLs as non-militia. When given no other information other than the name, it sounds militia-ish.

I'm in no way criticizing other state's choice in a name, I'm merely vetting concerns of choosing this same name as Maine's group. Perhaps recognition in Virginia's public is better than recognition in Maine's public. But I know if I stopped a random sampling of people in Portland and asked them what they thought the Maine Citizen's Defense League was, I bet 9/10 would think it's a militia. In comparison Maine Open Carry Association does not carry the same connotation. I don't think that MOCA's vibe is that great either. Most outside people I think don't take us seriously as a force for change.

I make that statement from my experiences talking to state legislators last year, and in presenting myself to city council meetings in Portland and South Portland. They don't take heed of us and brush us aside as irrelevant.
 

Grapeshot

Legendary Warrior
Joined
May 21, 2006
Messages
35,317
Location
Valhalla
---snip---
.........if I stopped a random sampling of people in Portland and asked them what they thought the Maine Citizen's Defense League was, I bet 9/10 would think it's a militia. In comparison Maine Open Carry Association does not carry the same connotation.

When I first joined VCDL, I questioned the same thing so I understand your thoughts. Eventually, I came to see it as a non-issue.

Whatever name you all decide on as your new identification may help to define certain parameters and thereby open the doors to a broader membership base. The weight, effectiveness, political clout, indeed the very reputation will not come from the name itself, but from the level of participation of the membership. That will define who and what you are. Wish you all the best.
 

carry for myself

Regular Member
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
544
Location
Maine
one thing MOCA does NOT want to do is have their name sounding like a Militia. i know first hand. i was an Lt. with the MPM, and a SSGT. with the MSL. my job was PR, and recruiting. peoples opinions of Militias are so darned biased that automatically they believe anything that even sounds Militia-like is a bunch of drunk rednecks in the woods with guns looking to overthrow the government. now however far of a stretch from the truth that actually is. the opinion still stands. i spent 5 years with the MPM changing their name and apperance away from anything with the word Militia anywhere near it. hence the MSL. no word "militia" involved. now if MOCA's name sounds anything like a militia or a para-military group. odds are it will lose physical respect and respect on paper as well. NTM LEO's would probably start targeting its members ever more than they may or may not due as it is now. i believe MOCA needs a name that shows the public that it is a firearms rights group, while at the same time not holding any political adgenda behind it. :) because liberals, democrats, constitutionalists, ect. all use guns, all own guns, and all fight for their rights for them *sane ones away*. and any name that makes the association sound like it leans one way or the other is bound to put off someone...........and that you dont want :)
 
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