By: Jacob Wheeler, UpTake Journalist

Minnesota State Senator Barb Goodwin (Democratic Farm Labor party) says that a “shoot first” gun bill proposed by Republicans would make Minnesota seem like the wild west. She tells how her father was a postman and how this would add fear to that line of work. Goodwin has worked in mental health and knows there are people “on the verge” and that this legislation would not help. In domestic disputes, people might think the officer coming to the door is threatening their life.

“I think the NRA (National Rifle Association) wants to sell an awful lot of guns, and I don’t know how many will be enough. I don’t think there will ever be enough,” fears Goodwin. “I think also, that the NRA, they’re promoting this and they’re also promoting an awful lot of fear. But the other thing is they promote an an awful lot of false perceptions and outright, how should I say this… outright lies.”

Goodwin adds that if this law lets people camping in tents carry guns, she doesn’t know what the ramifications will be for state tourism.

“This is one of the worst ideas I’ve seen around here in the past 25 years. … That’s not the state I was born in and grew up with that we would think that the wild west was the way to go.”