Missouri lawmakers have shown they don’t trust their fellow citizens. By overriding two vetoes, they said they don’t trust law enforcement, the “other” guy or women to make personal medical decisions.

By the barest minimum, senators on Thursday followed the House’s sorry lead in overriding Gov. Bob Holden’s veto of concealed guns. They also required women to wait 24 hours for an abortion.

Neither action speaks well for the state. The gun juggernaut won’t lead to safer streets. Instead, a proliferation of guns in purses and pockets undoubtedly will lead to more unintended tragedies. Accidents happen, no matter how well-trained the gun owner. A purse left unattended can result in a gun in the wrong hands.

Four years ago, Missourians voted against allowing concealed guns in public places. So much for representative democracy.

Pushed and financed by the gun lobby, a number of legislators bent to its wishes and voted to put more guns on the streets.

The concealed-carry vote was celebrated by some as a victory for the right of self-defense. It isn’t. It’s a statement of mistrust in law officers’ ability to do their jobs and fear of other Missourians.

More than 40 states allow concealed guns, although some have tough restrictions on permits. But approval by most other states doesn’t make it right. Violent crime rates have decreased steadily in Missouri since the early 1990s, without concealed weapons. In the next election, the public should remember lawmakers who voted for more guns and against the voters’ wishes.

The second veto override, requiring a 24-hour waiting period before an abortion, is more than a symbolic attempt to restrict access to a private medical procedure. It is an insult. A decision to have an abortion is a difficult one for most women. Requiring signed consent forms and making women wait 24 hours shows that lawmakers think women can’t be trusted to make their own decisions.

The waiting period will most disadvantage poor women and those who live in rural areas. Many who seek an abortion will find it difficult to take extended time off work, find transportation to a city with abortion services and pay the costs of staying overnight.

Holden’s ordeal with this legislature is far from over. Republican lawmakers, who have refused to answer the governor’s call for more money for education by raising “sin” taxes and closing tax loopholes, likely will feel emboldened by the veto overrides. They unfortunately may continue that stance in the 2004 session.

The governor held true to his positions during the 2003 session. He should continue his support of education and social programs. His trust in the citizenry is the honorable path. <cough, choke>