“No one who wants to be peaceful shows up to a protest with a firearm that is loaded with two magazines…” FBI Director Kash Patel, FOX News 1/13/26
“This individual, who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers, committed an act of domestic terrorism…” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, FOX News 1/31/26
“I don’t like that he had a gun, I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines, that’s a lot of bad stuff.” President Donald Trump, Politico 1/27/26
While campaigning at doors in the last decade time and again I learned that, because I am a Democrat, I wanted to take away every American’s guns.
Republicans, then and now clad themselves in the Second Amendment.
That’s especially true here in Missouri. The GOP supermajority is again this session considering a bunch of pro-gun bills, including “Try 2” at the Second Amendment Preservation Act (the first shredded by the federal courts), and, again proposing that 18 year olds can carry concealed weapons… Yes, you may be too young and immature to buy beer but you can carry Dirty Harry’s .44 Magnum into the liquor store.
Anyway, Republicans in the Missouri Legislature have no shame. Even after the first try at the Preservation Act allowed a young man to take an assault weapon into a St. Louis City high school the “guns everywhere” movement rules. Our elected representatives and senators will keep it legal for children to carry long guns down the street.
Thus a conundrum for the GOP and gun rights groups. When Trump, their leader for life, and his minions break with the Gospel of Glock do true believers change their ways, or, do they question they whom they follow?
The answer, of course, is quite simple.
Option 3: the Republican Party has become the eternal Trump Party. And, the National Rifle Association, the Gun Owners of America and the majority of Missouri legislators have left themselves no option but supporting Trump no matter how far he strays from their theology. They support his wild claims, watch the East Wing of the White House get torn down and ask for another cup of Kool Aid, please.
They are not fickle friends.
A mom and a nurse in Minneapolis, a teacher and student in St. Louis and countless others are just collateral damage. Trump supporters accept – and expect – collateral damage.
Glenn Koenen
Photo sourced from the White House via Wikipedia. Washington DC now has some of the strictest gun laws in the country.