FireArm Friday: Prepared, Not Paranoid - #2A
Why Armed Self-Reliance Is the Cornerstone of American Freedom
Why Armed Self-Reliance Is the Cornerstone of American Freedom
In a recent piece published by The New York Times titled “Americans Are Preparing for When All Hell Breaks Loose,” national correspondent Thomas Gibbons-Neff paints a vivid picture of the growing “prepared citizen” movement. The article showcases civilians—many of them veterans, professionals, and family men and women—training in firearms, communications, and survival tactics in anticipation of emergencies. While the article attempts to maintain a neutral tone, it quietly echoes a familiar refrain: that Americans who prepare for worst-case scenarios are somehow fringe or fear-driven.
Let’s be clear—there is nothing fringe about being prepared.
For as long as this country has existed, readiness has been a defining trait of American citizens. From the colonial Minutemen to the modern-day rancher, trucker, or nurse who trains with an AR-15 on weekends, the principle remains the same: be ready when your country, your family, or your neighbor needs you.
Gibbons-Neff, a former Marine infantryman, subtly leans on his service record to appear credible on firearms policy. Yet his body of work at the New York Times often carries a clear anti-gun bias. His past reporting has consistently emphasized the risks of “ghost guns,” the prevalence of AR-style rifles in high-profile crimes, and the perceived dangers of civilian firearm ownership—rarely, if ever, giving space to the millions of law-abiding gun owners who defend…