Gregory Kielma • December 31, 2023
Why So Many Young People Are Cutting Off Their Parents
Why So Many Young People Are Cutting Off Their Parents
Jordan was raised in a Southern Baptist household in North Carolina where she was expected to attend church multiple times a week, accept Jesus Christ as the way to salvation, and honor her mother and father. That last point was right there in the Ten Commandments. So when Jordan made the decision to stop talking to her dad, the choice stood in defiance of the lessons of her upbringing, but it was also because of them. She was tired of being told that women should submit to men, a belief ordained by the religion in which she was raised. She was finished obeying.
Family estrangement flies in the face of what most of us are taught as children: that family is forever and the bonds of blood cannot be replicated. Especially in cultures that value the cohesiveness of the group over more individualistic wants and needs, family is not considered a choice as much as it is a fact. But for families across America right now, that fact is fraying.
Family estrangement flies in the face of what we were taught as children: that family is forever.
If it feels like whispers of estrangement are everywhere lately—in your group chat, at your happy hour, and of course on TikTok—it’s because the data is staggering. Karl Pillemer, a professor at Cornell University and author of Fault Lines: Fractured Families and How to Mend Them, found that in 2020, 27% of Americans over the age of 18 were estranged from a family member. That’s more than a quarter, although the actual proportion could be much higher because many people are still reluctant to discuss such a personal and stigmatized topic. Although there is a lack of long-term research, Pillemer believes estrangement rates are increasing in the United States and other Western countries, especially in white and non-immigrant people under the age of 35. The rise in millennials and Gen Zers coming forward to discuss their own crises—the hashtag #ToxicFamily has 1.9 billion views on TikTok—may suggest that American families are severing ties at an all-time high.
If TikTok is to be believed, attitudes about estrangement fall along generational lines: Boomers accuse millennials and Gen Zers of being too quick to cut contact, while younger generations push back by saying they don’t have to tolerate unacceptable behavior just because someone is related to them by blood. Today, certain young people appear to be far less rigidly beholden to the idea of family obligation above all else, even at the cost of their own happiness.
“The norms that forced families to stick together no matter what have weakened,” Pillemer said, noting that difficult childhood experiences, value and lifestyle differences, and unmet expectations are some of the factors driving estrangement. “There is less of an overwhelmingly normative guideline that you must stick with your family no matter what. There is a sense among younger people today that if the relationship is aversive over a long period of time, they have the ability to get out of it.”
How pervasive family estrangement has become is also evident in pop culture. On her daytime talk show, Drew Barrymore talks about her emancipation from her parents at age 14 and hosts celebrities like Jennette McCurdy, bestselling author of I’m Glad My Mom Died, and Brooke Shields, who opened up about her tumultuous relationship with her mother. But as ubiquitous as the phenomenon can seem, the reality behind each separation is as layered and individual as the families themselves.
When Jordan, 32, decided to leave the church in early adulthood, tension rose between her and her father. Because her parents were married, Jordan says she held back from cutting her dad off despite the fights they had about religion, politics, and her exit from the church. But after one last explosive call, Jordan hung up the phone and had a “moment of clarity.” She realized she was finished, done. Looking back, she says he’s lucky she waited that long. While he called and texted her repeatedly, Jordan didn’t budge. “It’s an extreme privilege to have a great relationship with your adult children,” she says. “I was always hoping [while we weren’t talking] that he would take my silence as a cue to get himself together and to apologize to me.”
Threaded into so many of these stories is the hope that maybe the act of estrangement will bring the estranged closer.
The year after their estrangement, Jordan’s dad was hospitalized. She took a red-eye flight to be by her mother’s side and say her goodbyes to her incoherent father, who died after she got there. Now she finds herself grieving a complicated relationship. She thinks she did the right thing, but part of her grief is accepting that she’ll never know if, given more time, he could have ever changed.
Threaded into so many of these stories is the same hope Jordan had: that maybe the nuclear act of estrangement would eventually bring the estranged closer, like cutting hair to try to make it grow longer. That’s how it was for Rose, 21, who says she used to be “Daddy’s princess” before her father’s heroin addiction escalated to the point that Rose felt forced to make a choice. “I hoped that he would say, ‘Oh, my daughter’s no longer talking to me, I should try to fix that so I can talk to her or see her again,’” Rose says. “But sadly, he hasn’t chosen that.” There are so many things about her present life that she wishes she could tell her father: that she graduated high school and dyed her hair, that she got a job working with disabled children and brought a boyfriend home to meet her family. It all happens without her father and still, Rose hopes.
Quincee Gideon, PsyD, a Los Angeles–based psychologist who specializes in trauma therapy, explains that people’s reactions to familial estrangement are mixed and can change over a lifetime. “Some people have a lot of hope that their family can change,” Gideon says. “But by the time folks get to estrangement, they’ve spent years trying to set appropriate boundaries, live with disappointment, accept their family’s flaws, and negotiate in so many different ways that estrangement is a relief.” Such a significant step is best undertaken with the support of a therapist, recommends Gideon. In her own practice, she has clients take small breaks from contact with a family member to gauge the emotional impact. “Was it worth it? Was it relieving? Was it stressful in some way that we didn’t anticipate? Then we go from there.”
The relationship between Holly, 24, and her emotionally withholding and abusive mother was strained for years before she took the final step of estrangement. First, Holly had to make sure logistics were taken care of—she figured out a way to get her birth certificate and Social Security card, which were both stored in her mother’s security deposit box at the bank. Holly ended their relationship with a text message, writing, “I hope you choose a different path in this next part of life, where you choose healing over cruelty and misery. I won’t be there to see it.” Her mother blocked her number without responding. Instead of the grief she’s read about other estranged people feeling, Holly felt something else: a sense of peace.
“I hope you choose a different path in this next part of life, where you choose healing over cruelty.”
She knows people may judge her for feeling relieved. A close family member told Holly, “She’s your mother—you should love her,” which Holly finds grating. “We would never tell a woman who’s been abused [by a partner], ‘You should go back to him, to the person who hurt you and will continue to hurt you.’ But we do for people with abusive parents, and it makes me very mad. If I wanted to be miserable and anxious all the time, I’d go back to my mother.”
These stories of family estrangement awaken something almost ancestral in me. I’m Albanian—my parents are both immigrants from Kosovo—and I have never understood family as something to opt in or out of. Being a part of a family is one of the main anchors of my identity—without the knowledge of where I fit as a sister and aunt and cousin, I’m not sure who I would be. In my family, even as relationships are stretched to the point of breaking, it is almost always with the understanding that eventually, they will heal or at least enough time will pass that we can sit at a dinner table together and pretend nothing happened.
Research shows that there are cultural differences at play here. Pillemer, the Cornell professor, notes that the rate of estrangement is highest among white families and lowest among immigrant groups, Latinx families, and Black families. “There is much greater pressure to remain in the relationship among non-white and especially immigrant populations,” he notes. “People may be in extremely conflicted relationships, but they are very unlikely to say, ‘I never want to speak to you again.’” When Pillemer explains this, I can’t help but laugh. I think of the passive-aggressive behavior that lives at the core of some of the dynamics in my family, the unexplored conflict that is swept to the side to make room for a shared morning coffee. Part of me wonders what my family would look like if we entertained the idea that we don’t have to love each other unconditionally. Another bigger part of me is deeply comforted that we will almost certainly always have one other.
But for some, the breaches are simply too profound to overcome. Take Ant, 24, an only child who lives in Florida. The path to Ant’s estrangement from their ultra-conservative parents stretches from an abusive and tumultuous childhood into their understanding of themselves as queer and non-binary. The breaking point came in the summer of 2016, when a mass shooter killed 49 victims at Pulse, an LGBTQ+ nightclub in Orlando. Ant, who had recently been on a date with someone who was supposed to be at Pulse that night, spent the morning after the shooting talking to their date’s sister as they tried to locate them.
It would be easy to say young people don’t care about the sanctity of familial bonds, but I don’t think that’s true.
Ant’s mother responded to the tragedy by saying the shooting hadn’t happened while Ant’s father used a slur against queer people. “That was the big moment,” Ant recalls. They waited until they turned 18 and graduated high school to make it official, although Ant’s mother still calls them sometimes. “She thinks that she has authority simply for the fact that she’s the mother and I’m the child,” says Ant. “Meanwhile, I can just hang up the phone at any point. I’ve found a chosen family that has allowed me to actually be myself and feel like I can do great things. I do feel very free.”
After making the painstaking decision to cut off a family member, young people then face the daunting task of having to continue to justify their choice, compiling years of slights and heartbreaks into a quick explanation they can relay on a third date. Undoubtedly, millennials and Gen Zers have high expectations for their loved ones and place a higher premium on their own peace, even if it comes at the expense of something as steadfast as the family unit. It would be easy to say young people just don’t care about the sanctity of familial bonds, but I don’t think that’s true. How a family comes together and comes apart isn’t rational or easily explained—it is impossibly tangled. When one thread is pulled, the whole thing can unravel. And I don’t believe that anyone pulls it loose so easily.
Fortesa Latifi is a journalist with bylines in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Teen Vogue, and more. Her work focuses on chronic illness, mental health, and the way politics affects our daily lives and relationships.
Staying Safe at Home, Work or Your Business Gregg Kielma-Tactical K Training and Firearms 4/19/2026 Hello friends, family and business partners, my mission is to empower responsible citizens with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to stay safe every day. Through disciplined training, clear instruction, and a commitment to integrity, Tactical K Training & Firearms prepares individuals to protect themselves, their families, and their communities. I believe safety is a lifelong practice — one built on awareness, accountability, and never tiring of doing the right thing. Please, Never Tire of Staying Safe. At Tactical K Training & Firearms , I, Gregg Kielma teach responsible gun owners to build confidence, sharpen awareness, and protect what matters most through practical, real world training. Safety Isn’t a Phase, It’s a Lifestyle. My approach at Tactical K Training & Firearms reinforces the habits, skills, and mindset that keep you, your family, and your community safer every day. Kielma Parting Shot: Your Life, Family and Friends Are Worth The Effort. Through clear instruction, honest guidance, and real-world scenarios, Tactical K Training & Firearms helps responsible citizens stay prepared, stay aware, and stay confident. Gregg Kielma
!FLORIDA IS MY HOME! Gregg Kielma-Tactical K Training and Firearms 4/19/2026 Florida has been my home for 47 years, and throughout that time I've mostly experienced all of its positives. Here are some reasons why I truly enjoy living here. Sure, there are challenges—like the intense heat, hurricanes, bugs, and occasional overgrowth—but this place feels like home, and I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! !FLORIDA IS MY HOME! Let's Take a LOOK! 1. No State Income Tax Florida is one of the few states with zero state income tax, allowing residents to keep more of what they earn. This is especially attractive for retirees, remote workers, and high income earners. 2. Year Round Warm Weather With 230–250 sunny days per year and mild winters, Florida offers a climate that supports outdoor living all year long. 3. World Class Beaches Over 1,300 miles of coastline and award winning beaches like Siesta Key, Clearwater, and Pensacola make Florida a paradise for beach lovers. 4. Outdoor Recreation & Natural Beauty Boating, fishing, kayaking, hiking, paddleboarding, and exploring the Everglades—Florida’s biodiversity and outdoor lifestyle are unmatched. 5. Affordable Housing (Compared to Many States) While prices have risen, Florida still offers more affordable options than high cost states like California or New York, with many markets below the national median. 6. Lower Overall Cost of Living Beyond taxes, Florida’s cost of living remains competitive, especially in suburban and inland areas. 7. Cultural Diversity & Vibrant Communities Florida is one of the most diverse states in the U.S., with residents from every background, age group, and region. 8. Strong Job Market & Growing Economy Florida’s economy continues to expand, with opportunities in tourism, healthcare, logistics, tech, construction, and remote work. (Supported by tax advantages and population growth.) 9. Laid Back, Outdoor Focused Lifestyle Sunshine, beaches, parks, and waterfront living create a relaxed atmosphere that attracts families, retirees, and remote workers alike. 10. A Haven for Remote Workers Remote workers relocating from high tax states can save 10–13% of income annually simply by living in Florida—an enormous financial advantage. !I LOVE FLORIDA! Gregg Kielma
Owning and Training With A Firearm: Some People Just Don’t Understand Gregg Kielma-Tactical K Training and Firearms 4/18/2026 A coworker commented on a Tampa Bay shooting on 4/15/2026, blaming me for selling firearms in the community. The incident involved two suspects, one juvenile and one 18-year-old, who used a firearm during a dispute—exact reasons unknown. I always emphasize safety and responsible ownership in my classes as an FFL and Firearms Instructor. Below are my thoughts and tips for conversations with those who advocate relinquishing Second Amendment rights and firearms. Some coworkers, friends, or neighbors may be uneasy about us owning firearms not because of anything you or I have did wrong, but because they’re filtering the idea through their own experiences, fears, or misunderstandings. Many people only encounter firearms through news stories about crime or through entertainment that portray guns as inherently dangerous, so they instinctively associate ownership with risk rather than responsibility. Others may have grown up in households or communities where firearms were never part of normal life, so the idea feels foreign or intimidating. Another reason, some worry about safety simply because they don’t understand the layers of training, discipline, and legal responsibility that you practice every day. And in some cases, people project their own anxieties—about violence, about control, or about the world feeling unpredictable—onto anyone who chooses to own a firearm. None of this reflects your character or your professionalism. It reflects their lack of exposure to responsible ownership. Often, once people see the level of care, education, and integrity you bring to the subject, their discomfort softens because they finally understand the difference between a lawful, trained owner and the stereotypes they’ve been reacting to. Gregg Kielma
Why People Lie on the 4473 — and Why It Never Works By Gregg Kielma, FFL & Owner of Tactical K Training and Firearms 4/18/2026 As an FFL, I see a lot of things behind the counter that the average gun owner never thinks about. One of the most frustrating — and frankly baffling — behaviors is when someone decides to lie on an ATF Form 4473. Let me be clear: lying on a 4473 is a federal crime, and people still try it every single day across the country. I check everything. Every box, every detail, every ID, every answer. That’s my job, and I take it seriously. So why do people still lie on a form that is designed to catch them? My Thought: They think “just checking a box” doesn’t matter Some people convince themselves that the form is just paperwork and nobody really looks at it. They assume the background check is a formality and the 4473 is just a hoop to jump through. They don’t realize that the form is the background check — and the moment they lie, they’ve committed a felony. My Thought: They underestimate how thorough NICS really is People imagine NICS as a quick name search. In reality, it’s a national system tied into criminal history, mental health adjudications, restraining orders, immigration status, and more. If someone is prohibited, it will surface. And when the system flags a lie, it’s documented. My Thought: They think their past won’t catch up to them I’ve seen people with old charges, dismissed cases, or “sealed” records assume they’re in the clear. But federal law doesn’t forget. If someone is prohibited, the system knows — and lying on the form doesn’t erase the past. My Thought: Straw purchasers think they’re smarter than the system This is the most common lie: “I’m the actual buyer.” If someone is buying a gun for another person — especially someone prohibited — that’s a straw purchase. It’s one of the fastest ways to earn federal charges. And yes, the patterns are obvious. The ATF sees them. FFLs see them. It’s never subtle. My Thought: They assume the FFL won’t check or won’t care Not in my shop. Not ever. I check everything because it protects my license, my business, my community, and the integrity of responsible gun ownership. I’m not here to play games with federal paperwork. If something doesn’t look right, the sale stops. Period. My Thought: They, people don’t understand the consequences Many people don’t realize that lying on a 4473 can lead to: • Federal felony charges • Up to 10 years in prison • Fines up to $250,000 • Permanent loss of firearm rights • ATF investigation • State-level charges on top of federal ones And here’s the kicker: most people who lie don’t even get the gun. They walk away with nothing except a documented federal offense. Tactical K Training and Firearms: My message as an FFL I’m not here to judge anyone, it’s not my position to judge you. I’m here to run a lawful business and promote responsible firearm ownership. The 4473 isn’t optional. It isn’t a suggestion. It’s a legal document, and I treat it as such. If someone can legally own a firearm, the process is smooth. If they can’t, lying won’t change that — it only makes things worse. Kielma’s Parting Shot: Honesty on the 4473 protects everyone: the buyer, the seller, and the community. As an FFL who checks every detail, every time, I can say with confidence: lying on the form never works, and it’s never worth it. Gregg Kielma
Why Do Felons Want Guns—And How Do We Stop It Gregory Kielma, Tactical K Training and Firearms 04/18/2026 As a firearms instructor, an FFL, and someone who works every day with responsible, law‑abiding gun owners, I get asked a simple question that has a complicated truth behind it: Why do felons want guns in the first place? And more importantly, how do we stop them from getting them without punishing the people who follow the law? This is an issue that affects every community, every business, and every family. Understanding the “why” helps us build better solutions. Why Do Felons Seek Firearms? Felons—especially those with violent or repeat criminal histories—often pursue firearms for reasons that have nothing to do with self‑defense or lawful ownership. Common motivations include: Power and Intimidation Criminal activity often relies on leverage. A firearm gives someone with bad intentions the ability to threaten, coerce, or control others. Protection within Criminal Circles When someone is involved in illegal activity, they aren’t calling 911. They arm themselves because they expect violence from others in the same world. Financial Gain Firearms are a form of currency in the criminal ecosystem. They’re traded, stolen, and used to commit further crimes. Disregard for the law A person who has already shown a willingness to break the law is not suddenly going to respect firearm regulations. That’s why restrictions alone don’t stop them. None of these motivations have anything to do with responsible ownership, training, or personal protection. They’re rooted in criminal behavior—not citizenship. How Do We Stop It? The answer isn’t to burden the people who already follow the rules. Law‑abiding citizens aren’t the problem. The real solutions focus on criminal behavior, not lawful ownership. Target the illegal supply chain Felons don’t walk into gun stores. They get firearms through: Straw purchases Theft Black‑market trades Ghost gun trafficking Criminal networks My opinion, stopping this requires enforcement, not new restrictions on lawful buyers. Enforce existing laws consistently We already have strong federal laws—18 U.S.C. § 922(g) is clear. The problem is when violations aren’t prosecuted. When a felon is caught with a firearm, consequences must be real, predictable, and swift. Strengthen community reporting and awareness Most illegal firearms move through communities long before law enforcement sees them. Anonymous reporting, community partnerships, and education help cut off access early. Support responsible gun owners—not restrict them Trained, law‑abiding citizens: Store firearms securely Report theft immediately Understand transfer laws Keep firearms out of the hands of prohibited persons Empowering responsible owners is part of the solution. Invest in prevention, not punishment alone Some individuals re‑offend because they return to the same environment with no support. Programs that reduce recidivism—job training, counseling, and community reintegration—help shrink the pool of people seeking guns for the wrong reasons. Kielma's Parting Shot Felons want guns for criminal purposes, not for the reasons responsible citizens own them. Stopping them requires: Strong enforcement Cutting off illegal supply chains Community involvement Supporting lawful gun owners Reducing repeat criminal behavior At Tactical K Training and Firearms, I teach that responsible ownership is the backbone of community safety. When we focus on the real problem—criminal access, not lawful access—we protect our rights and our neighborhoods at the same time. Gregg Kielma
Visalia Californina Felon Indicted for Possessing Safe Full of Firearms Thursday, April 16, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of California FRESNO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Pete Alvarez, 45, of Visalia, charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant announced. According to court documents, during an investigation into a shooting, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant of Alvarez’s residence. There, they located a safe in Alvarez’s bedroom with 17 firearms, including several short-barrel firearms without serial numbers that were in the process of being manufactured. Alvarez is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County including, assault with a deadly weapon, receiving stolen property, being a felon in possession of a firearm, battery causing serious injury, and assault with a deadly weapon. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Fresno Police Department; and the Tulare Police Department are conducting the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes is prosecuting the case. If convicted, Alvarez faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Updated April 16, 2026
Gun Store Owner Indicted for Aiding and Abetting Straw Purchasing and Failing to Report Cash Payments Over $10,000 Wednesday, April 15, 2026 U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Arizona PHOENIX, Ariz. – The owner of Virtus Armament and The Armory, Virtus Armament, a federal firearms licensee (FFL), was indicted last week on charges related to aiding and abetting straw purchases of firearms and failing to report cash transactions over $10,000. On April 8, a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned an 8-count indictment against Esteban Yanez, 34, of Gilbert, Arizona, for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm, Straw Purchasing of Firearms, and Failure to File Forms 8300 Relating to Cash Received in Trade or Business. Yanez was arraigned April 14. The indictment alleges that on three occasions, Yanez aided and abetted individuals who knowingly made false statements to Yanez’s FFL when submitting the ATF Form 4473, misrepresenting the actual purchaser of the firearms. In two instances, the firearms were being purchased for an individual convicted of a felony. Federal law prohibits felons from possessing firearms. Finally, Yanez is also alleged to have failed to file the IRS Form 8300, reporting the receipt of over $10,000 in a trade or business, related to the sale of firearms. A conviction for False Statement During the Purchase of a Firearm carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Straw Purchasing of Firearms carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, or both. A conviction for Failure to File Forms 8300 Relating to Cash Received in Trade or Business carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, is handling the prosecution. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. CASE NUMBER: 26-CR-00326 RELEASE NUMBER: 2026-062_Yanez
How to Protect Ourselves From Potential Foreign Backed Threats in a Responsible, Safety Focused Way Gregg Kielma-Tactical K Training and Firearms 4/17/2026 Protecting ourselves from any organized threat — whether foreign backed, criminal, or extremist — starts with the same principles you already teach: awareness, layered security, and calm, informed action. The goal is not to hunt for “sleeper cells,” but to make it harder for any malicious actor to exploit vulnerabilities in our homes, businesses, or communities. At the personal level, the most effective protection comes from sharpening situational awareness: noticing unusual surveillance, unfamiliar vehicles lingering repeatedly, or individuals probing for information about routines, access points, or security measures. These aren’t signs of a specific group — they’re universal pre incident indicators. Strengthening digital hygiene is equally important, since foreign backed actors often exploit online vulnerabilities long before physical ones. Using strong authentication, monitoring accounts for unusual activity, and being cautious with unsolicited messages reduces the risk of being targeted or manipulated. At the community level, staying connected is one of the strongest defenses. Sharing information with neighbors, local businesses, and trusted community groups helps everyone spot patterns that a single person might miss. If something genuinely concerning appears — such as attempts to acquire restricted materials, suspicious photography of critical infrastructure, or probing questions about security — reporting it to local law enforcement or federal tip lines is the correct and lawful step. These agencies are trained to evaluate threats without bias and without putting innocent people at risk. Finally, preparedness matters. Having emergency plans, medical kits, communication backups, and basic readiness ensures that if any kind of attack or disruption occurs — whether foreign backed, criminal, or domestic — you and your family can respond quickly and confidently. The goal is resilience, not fear: building layers of protection that work against any threat, known or unknown, while maintaining respect for the diverse, law abiding people who make up our communities. Gregg Kielma
Is Iran Activating Sleep Cell’s In The West? ABC NEWS 4/17/2026 The U.S. has intercepted encrypted communications believed to have originated in Iran that may serve as "an operational trigger" for "sleeper assets" outside the country, according to a federal government alert sent to law enforcement agencies. The alert, reviewed by ABC News, cites "preliminary signals analysis" of a transmission "likely of Iranian origin" that was relayed across multiple countries shortly after the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran, was killed in a U.S.-Israeli attack on Feb. 28. The intercepted transmission was encoded and appeared to be destined for "clandestine recipients" who possess the encryption key, the kind of message intended to impart instructions to "covert operatives or sleeper assets" without the use of the internet or cellular networks. It's possible the transmissions could "be intended to activate or provide instructions to prepositioned sleeper assets operating outside the originating country," the alert said. "While the exact contents of these transmissions cannot currently be determined, the sudden appearance of a new station with international rebroadcast characteristics warrants heightened situational awareness," the alert said. While the alert is careful to say there is "no operational threat tied to a specific location," it does instruct law enforcement agencies to increase their monitoring of suspicious radio-frequency activity. If the contents of the alert prove true, it would confirm the fears expressed by law enforcement officials after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran that sleeper cells deployed around the West could be used for retaliation.
The Reality of Being a Business Owner: Rewarding, Demanding, and Worth The Weight By Gregory Kielma Tactical K Training and Firearms 04/16/2026 Being a business owner is one of the most empowering decisions a person can make. It gives you the freedom to build something with your own hands, shape your own standards, and create a service or product that reflects your values. There’s a deep satisfaction in knowing that your work matters, that your effort directly impacts your community, and that your name stands behind everything you do. Ownership gives you the chance to lead with integrity, set the tone for professionalism, and build a reputation you can be proud of. But the same freedom that makes business ownership rewarding also makes it stressful. Every decision rests on your shoulders. You carry the responsibility for your clients, your reputation, your finances, and your future. There are days when the pressure is heavy, when the work follows you home, and when the expectations feel endless. You don’t clock out just because the day ends. You think ahead, plan ahead, and stay ready for whatever comes next. Still, the stress is part of the journey. It sharpens your discipline, strengthens your resilience, and pushes you to grow in ways you never expected. The challenges teach you to stay calm under pressure, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward even when the path isn’t easy. And when you see the results of your hard work—satisfied clients, steady progress, and a business built on your own standards—it reminds you why you chose this path in the first place. Being a business owner means carrying both the pride and the pressure. It means accepting long days, tough decisions, and constant responsibility. But it also means building something real, something meaningful, and something that reflects who you are. The stress is temporary. The impact lasts. Gregg Kielma
