Wicked Local While thousands of people have signed onto the “Prevent Gun Sales in Newton” petition in response to Newton Firearms looking to open on Washington Street, a statewide gun-rights advocacy group said the store should be treated like any other business. Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners Action League (GOAL), said he was not surprised to learn of residents’ objections to Newton Firearms. “It’s not uncommon to have the ‘we don’t want you in our town’ kind of thing,” he said. “It’s basically turning into social bigotry” between residents and gun dealers. “Considering this is Newton, I was not surprised” at the negative reaction, echoed resident Susan Huffman who is in the process of getting her license to carry. “Newton is such a hard-core left city.”