October 14, 2025

Everytown’s Propaganda Arm Puts Gun Control Over Saving Lives

By Joe Bartozzi

Everytown for Gun Safety’s propaganda arm – The Trace – is proving that they’re more interested in fomenting an illusion of conflict than recognizing the importance of saving lives.

It’s more than unfortunate. It’s appalling and disgusting, in all honesty.

The Trace recently published a column criticizing the partnership between NSSF and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). The author, Mike Spies, whom NSSF has spotlighted before for his antigun bias, framed the relationship as self-serving and insinuated nefarious intent.

Let me be perfectly clear: NSSF and AFSP forged this relationship to prevent the tragedy of suicide. NSSF recognizes that more than half of suicide deaths involve a firearm. That’s unacceptable – especially when the experts in this field inform us that suicide is preventable. The firearm industry wants to be part of the solution. However, we recognize that we are not suicide prevention experts.

Likewise, AFSP is – by definition – wholly dedicated to reducing and ultimately eliminating suicide by all means. The relationship brought the two organizations together to offer real solutions to a vexing problem. The cause is noble. It is right. Neither I nor the NSSF will abandon our efforts to save lives, no matter the ginned-up criticism by an antigun organization that’s bent on denying lawful firearm ownership to all Americans.

Brave Conversations

NSSF and AFSP’s collaborative “Brave Conversation” efforts were expanded to include the Department of Veterans Affairs because of the prevalence of the tragedy of suicide among veterans. The program is simple: Reach gun owners where they are and provide them with resources to intervene and places to seek help when it is needed.

NSSF provides “Brave Conversations” resources to firearm retailers and ranges so that gun owners know how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and how to get the help needed for themselves or those they love and care about. That includes ways to initiate a conversation, understanding the importance of secure firearm storage and options for off-site storage if needed. Putting time and distance between someone who might be considering suicide and the means to commit the tragic act is paramount and is necessary to prevent a tragedy.

AFSP set an ambitious goal, detailed in their Project 2025 initiative. In 2016, AFSP and NSSF wanted to reduce the annual rate of suicide by 20 percent. Serious problems require bold thinking to solve them. Unfortunately, suicide remains a stubborn problem and the causes and complex variables associated with suicide are substantial.

NSSF knows that just because something is difficult does not mean we will walk away from it. Rather, we have committed to rededicating ourselves to bringing that number down and, ultimately, eliminating it.

Clumsy Criticism

Everytown’s The Trace sees it differently. They view the tragedy of suicide as an opportunity to push an antigun agenda, using half-truths to do it.

The Trace is headed by John Feinblatt, who also heads Everytown for Gun Safety and once served as a senior advisor to antigun billionaire Michael Bloomberg when he was New York City’s mayor. Feinblatt is the principal officer listed on tax filings for The Trace. Everytown, of course, is a gun control organization that wants to see lawful firearm ownership eliminated in America. That group funds candidates for elected office to the tune of tens of millions, with the promise that those elected officials will back every gun control effort put before them.

The Trace labelled the partnership between NSSF and AFSP as an attempt to appear “worthy of goodwill from lawmakers, regulators, and adversaries” and “immense public relations value.” That’s a cheap, intellectually lazy and crass way to describe the necessary work to save lives. NSSF partnered with AFSP because it is the right thing to do. Saving lives isn’t a publicity stunt. It is basic decency to value the life of someone who is struggling. Providing gun owners with lifesaving resources at firearm retailers and gun ranges is meeting gun owners where they are, so those resources are readily available.

The Trace criticized NSSF and AFSP for not supporting Extreme Risk Prevention Orders (ERPOs) in its column. That’s a half-truth. NSSF isn’t opposed to ERPOs, so long as they include adequate Due Process protections for those who might be subject to those orders. To date, 21 states and the District of Columbia have these laws, yet none have adequate Due Process protections written into them to protect the civil liberties of those who may be subject to the laws.

Everytown and The Trace’s criticism isn’t just unfounded. It is abhorrent. In the estimation of the gun control organization, the only answer is to eliminate gun ownership in America. Gun control groups lump suicides together with the criminal misuse of a firearm as a “gun violence” issue. The reality is that suicide is a complex problem. Despite The Trace’s disparagement, suicide isn’t a “gun” issue. Suicide involves mental health, life struggles and other factors. NSSF’s relationship with AFSP to prevent suicides is designed to provide resources to ensure those suffering with suicidal ideations get the help they need and time and distance is placed between them and lethal means. That includes secure storage of firearms and voluntary and temporary removal, if warranted.

NSSF is committed to the partnership with AFSP to prevent suicide because this is a human problem. Our “Brave Conversation” program continues to operate fully and evolve with additional resources to reach even more people — mostly recently by providing suicide prevention toolkits to more than 9,000 American Legion Posts throughout the country. Our work requires dedication, compassion and perseverance. It requires Real Solutions. Our commitment will endure, even if it draws agenda-driven hit pieces and ignorant criticism by antigun zealots. Because our mission isn’t to save face – it’s to save lives.

Suicide is preventable. If you are in a crisis or want to help someone you’re concerned about, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Veterans call 988 and Press 1.

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