In what can only be described as an ironic twist of fate, a liberal Democrat who is a well-known anti-gun activist in upstate New York has been arrested for carrying his firearm into a public school.
Dwayne Ferguson has long been a well-known liberal activist and was even the face of New York’s campaign for the SAFE Act. The SAFE Act made carrying a firearm on public school property a felony. His friends say that he should not be penalized for his mistake, because they are sure that it was made innocently.
“I’m sure Dwayne went into the school not thinking he had the gun on him,” said Rev. James E. Giles, a friend of Ferguson and president of Back to Basics Outreach Ministries. “We know this for a fact, that he called out to a Buffalo police lieutenant asking why the school was in lockdown, and that they were looking for a man with a gun.
“Dwayne’s reaction was to get his kids – he had about 50 of them – and make sure they were safe,” Giles explained. “He led them into the cafeteria and closed the doors.”
dwaynefergusonHis supporters are likely correct, but does that really make a difference?
The SAFE Act wasn’t passed to prosecute those who meant harm to the students – there was already an existing punishment for that. The SAFE Act was meant exactly for people like Dwayne Ferguson, people who usually carry and might consider taking their firearm onto a public school campus. Some of his supporters argue that he should be allowed to carry since he is an upstanding and law-abiding (usually) citizen who has every legal right to carry a gun (he has a permit to carry). And they are RIGHT! But he was one of the people arguing that even people like him shouldn’t be carrying on school campuses. Because of the purpose of the law, it’s only fair that Ferguson be judged by the law he championed and be found guilty of the “crime” he has committed.
Some gun advocates opposed to the SAFE Act have argued that the law actually makes schools less safe since law-abiding handgun owners cannot possess their weapons on school grounds, while mass murderers have never heeded laws making schools gun-free zones.
“The more they make these gun-free zones, the more they make people vulnerable to mass killers like at Columbine and Sandy Hook,” said Stephen J. Aldstadt, a Colden resident who serves as president of the state Shooters Committee on Political Education.
Some of Ferguson’s supporters echoed similar criticism, saying that carrying a weapon meant Ferguson could have helped police in the event there was a gunman actually threatening students.
“Dwayne probably was in a position to help the police not knowing that he was the one they were looking for,” said George Johnson, president of Buffalo United Front,
“Mental lapses happen,” Giles said. “Things happen. It’s an unfortunate mistake. Dwayne was not conscious that he was in school with a gun.”
I’m sure we’ll hear more about this case in the near future – if local liberals get their way, Mr. Ferguson won’t be charged for his “crimes.” Very often liberals make laws for others, but they are loathe to submit to the same laws. (Simply observe what is happening with the Obamacare debacle.) If the state pursues charges against Mr. Ferguson, he could face up to four years in prison for his felony crime.  Either way, this stupid law is just another reason that no one should be looking to move to New York.
New York’s new motto could be New York: where the taxes are high, the freedoms are few, and the government thinks it’s your mommy.