Associates defend man who had gun in school (SAFE Act advocate)

[friendly_iconoclast]

http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/buffalo-public-schools/associates-defend-man-who-had-gun-in-school-20140207

Associates defend man who had gun in school

Say he made honest mistake in incident prompting school lockdown

By Jane Kwiatkowski | News Staff Reporter , Lou Michel | News Staff Reporter ,
Tiffany Lankes | News Staff Reporter | @TiffanyLankes

on February 7, 2014 - 8:40 PM
updated February 8, 2014 at 12:32 AM


Dwayne Ferguson spent more than a decade advocating for nonviolence and peace in the streets of Buffalo.

He was a well-known face in the movement for the SAFE Act, the state law that made carrying a gun on school property a felony. He was also a familiar presence in the hallways of the city’s Harvey Austin Elementary School, where he worked in the after-school program and mentored students.

No one imagined that on Thursday he would show up at the school in possession of a gun, touching off an hours-long lockdown, search and ultimately his arrest on two felony charges.

Ferguson, 52, told WGRZ-TV that he frequently carries the gun, for which he has a permit, and did not realize he had it on him when he went to the school as part of the mentoring program...

Ferguson should practice what he preaches and plead guilty to the felony he committed.

[Duckhunter935]

1. I agree

He fought for the law he broke, no excuses.

[Arkansas Granny]

2. +1

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

3. Well, the freepers and gun nuts are out in full force in the commments section. nt

[Eleanors38]

4. What do you think should happen to him?

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

5. He should plead guilty and face the music from the court

That still doesn't have much to do with my comment that the gun nuts and freepers are trashing "commies and the Democrat party" as usual in the comments section.

[friendly_iconoclast]

12. So what? Net commentary is a wretched hive of scum and villainy

The quality of commentary on the Internet tends to be in inverse proportion to
the quantity.

[seveneyes]

6. One law was not violated

The law of unintended consequences.

[tblue37]

7. The fact that gun carriers so often "FORGET" that they have a loaded gun in their

carry-on luggage, on their person, on their nightstand, on their kitchen counter, etc., is just evidence that even supposedly "responsible" gun owners are often forgetful and irresponsible enough to allow access to their loaded guns to children or others who should not have access to guns.

People are distractible and forgetful. We especially get distracted by the pace and complexity of modern life. Some people even forget their precious babies and toddlers in hot cars or lose them in crowded malls because they turn away for a moment and lose track. Those people are not always neglectful or irresponsible parents, either.

If loving, responsible parents can forget their own child, as some actually do, then we must admit that a normally responsible gun owner can forget that he has not secured his gun sufficiently because he put it down somewhere, left it in his luggage, or had it on his person and then got distracted.

[Eleanors38]

8. I tend to agree with you. There are limitations to harsh punishment...

and limitations to prohibitionist laws, which are even more evident.

[Lizzie Poppet]

11. I'm usually pretty skeptical of the "I forgot it was there" excuse.

Even my smaller carry pistol is fairly heavy (to say nothing of the 1911...bit of a tank, especially for a shrimp like me). How do you not notice the weight of a loaded handgun on your person?

I'm sure it happens, that people really do just forget they're carrying...but I bet the legitimate instances thereof are usually when the weapon's in a purse or backpack, in a briefcase, etc...not when it's actually being carried on the person. When someone is doing the latter and claims to have forgotten they were, my bullshit detector goes off.

[tblue37]

15. One CAN become so accustomed to carrying added weight that one forgets. Women often do that

with a purse--even a heavy one. At least I know I do, and I am small and weak.

[geek tragedy]

14. which is an argument for increased gun regulation and restrictions, including

strict liability.

[Adrahil]

9. These kinds of law are silly...

... There is no sense in them. They prevent nothing. Anyone intent on doing harm with a gun will not stop and suddenly say, "but wait! It's illegal to carry a gun there!"

[oneshooter]

10. That is not the purpose of this law. It "feels good" to do "something".

Even if it does no good, or is already against the law.

[Dr. Strange]

13. Wait--that law applies to me?

But I lobbied hard for the law!

[MicaelS]

16. Absolute hypocrite.

Advocates for the SAFE Act. Advocates for nonviolence and peace in the streets. And he carries a gun.

Sounds like a typical "Do as I say, not as I do."

[appal_jack]

17. Yup. "Guns for me, but no guns for thee." 'SAFE,' my ass. nt