Freedom of speech. It's your Constitutional Right via the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights. Cool, huh? That means you get to say pretty much whatever you want. You probably execute it daily on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, texting, phone calls, emails, actual face-to-face conversation (shocker, I know). As a matter of fact, I'd venture to guess you've already used your rights today. Hopefully, you used your right to build someone else up.

Last Friday, a reporter for the NY Times executed their right of free speech. They deemed Missouri the "Shoot-Me State" after the state Legislature used its supermajority to override a veto from Gov. Jay Nixon in order to enact a wholesale retreat from gun safety in the state. Meaning, as of January 1, 2017, Missouri citizens will be allowed to carry a concealed weapon in public without the previously required permit, background check, and training.

Sounds scary when you put it like that, but ironically, this is also your Constitutional Right. You see, the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights says that men have "the right to bear arms." Also ironically, the article was published on September 16th, which just so happens to be national Constitution Day.

So first, I was a little offended. New York is VERY different than Missouri. Castle laws and stand your ground laws are far more complicated that this article made them out to be. Then after a while, I just thought it was incredibly funny. Here America is verbally degrading one another's beliefs over the right to bear arms on Constitution Day. We the people and all that jazz.

So, I start reading comments. The opinions on this matter seem to be black and white. The conservatives are thrilled and liberals are outraged, per the usual on topics like this one. I started to think about where I stood on the issue, hoping that I would be able to confidently stand on one side or the other.

I won't tell you where I stand politically most of the time, but I will tell you that on this issue, I find stand in the gray. As much as I wanted this article to be profound and outspoken, I think there is great value in considering that both sides are (at least partially) right. I also think it is fair to say that neither side has an adequate solution.

Instead of hashing out the pros and cons, I'll tell you this story.

I was born in a small Missouri town. My family moved across the border to Canada for a few years of my childhood, but then we moved back to Missouri. I was raised there until I left for college. I lived on a farm. I was home schooled. I was in church every time the doors were open. My father ran our family owned business. I took hunter's safety with him when I was eleven because I thought it would be fun. It wasn't. We didn't hunt because we raised beef cattle, but my dad did conceal carried every single day to protect his livelihood. You see, our family owned business was the type that meant my dad was carrying pretty substantial amounts of money with him every day. He just wanted to be sure we were taken care of, although, he never had to use it. We were the picture perfect conservative, Bible belt family.

When I moved away to college in Saint Louis, I lived in the dorms for a year, and then off campus in an apartment with a roommate. My junior year, we moved to the Dougherty Ferry stretch of Ballwin, an arguably safe place to live. After moving in we found out that one week prior a man broke into the complex next door and sodomized the woman who lived there. Scary stuff, right? Needless to say, all of the men in my life encouraged me to get my conceal to carry license. I was willing to consider. So, the next time I went home my dad took me out with his pistol. He showed me the workings of the gun and set me up with a target.

Let me say this: I'm a dang good shot. With very little experience, I managed to get all three rounds on the little 8"x11" target. Then, I sobbed. I burst into uncontrollable tears. I handed my dad the gun and I walked away. After I managed to calm myself down, he tried to talk to me and ask me why I had broken down.

"Because! I couldn't do it. No matter how I was threatened, there is no way I could take another human life. He can do what he wants to me, I know where I'm going. How could I deal with the guilt of taking the life of a human who would face their eternal fate?"

I say all of that to say this. I don't think it matters whether or not the citizens of Missouri are required to pass a background check to carry a concealed weapon. If it is in you to maliciously kill another human being with a firearm, you are going to do it. In the same breath, if it is important to you to protect your livelihood and your family in the face of threat, you will educate yourself regardless of the requirements placed by the State. Why? You'll want to make sure you can actually protect them. Finally, if it is against your nature to even consider taking another life, then just don't!

Here's the nutshell, it was the state Legislature that pushed this law to pass. Hypothetically, your state Legislature is there to help the voice of the citizens be heard. If you have a better solution to the law that was passed, instead of posting your political rant on Facebook, right your Legislature a letter. Volunteer in places that will allow your voice to be heard. Support candidates who back your beliefs. For the love of all that is holy VOTE.

This conversation is arduous and it is far from over. Here in Missouri the cries of outrage probably won't be enough. The citizens have used their First Amendment right to reinforce their Second. Once (and if) there is substantial evidence to prove the claims of the liberal citizens, the law can be reversed. Until then, the people have spoken and await the proof.

We are the Show-Me State, after all.