There seems to be a clear pattern forming with Republicans. Get rid of education and keep kids stupid, ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest, get rid of contraceptives, and saturate our streets with guns. Ban critical race theory that isn't even taught in schools, ban books, and ban 'scientific theory' from being taught in schools.

On Wednesday, Missouri's Republican-led House voted against banning minors from openly carrying firearms on public land without adult supervision in a 104-39 vote, with one Republican voting in support of it.

Via the Associated Press:

Democratic Rep. Donna Baringer said police in her district asked for the change to stop "14-year-olds walking down the middle of the street in the city of St. Louis carrying AR-15s."

"Now they have been emboldened, and they are walking around with them," Baringer said. "Until they actually brandish them and brandish them with intent, our police officers' hands are handcuffed."

I see. So, they're not backing the blue again. What a shocker.

Republicans decried the effort as an unneeded infringement on gun rights.

"While it may be intuitive that a 14-year-old has no legitimate purpose, it doesn't actually mean that they're going to harm someone. We don't know that yet," said Rep. Tony Lovasco, a Republican from the St. Louis suburb of O'Fallon. "Generally speaking, we don't charge people with crimes because we think they're going to hurt someone."

This is such a disgrace:

Republican Rep. Lane Roberts —- a former Joplin, Missouri police chief and state public safety director — initially included the restrictions on children possessing guns in a broader crime bill, which the House voted to give initial approval to later Wednesday. But lawmakers on a House committee that Roberts leads stripped the provision on guns last week.

"Every time we talked about the provision related to guns, we knew that that was going to be difficult on our side of the aisle," Roberts said Wednesday.

So, Republicans claim that a child walking down the middle of the street with a firearm such as an AR-15, or a variant, that is a mass shooter's favorite weapon that can fire off an astronomical amount of rounds per minute, isn't a threat until he opens fire. By then it's too late. This is why we will continue to see children get slaughtered in schools.