County In Georgia Makes Money At Gun Auction

A county in Georgia recently decided that they'd follow a law that requires confiscated crime guns, like those used in armed robbery, to be sold to law-abiding gun owners. One of the qualifications to be able to buy one of the auctioned off guns is that the buyer must have a concealed carry permit. The thinking there, is that criminals don't usually follow the law, and will usually just carry a gun regardless of the permit.
Georgia is one of only two handfuls of states that requires this type of gun auction, and to be honest, it is a smart way to recoup some operating costs. The auction took about one hour and they raised $18,000. Not a bad way to help the lowly taxpayers out a bit. Of course, the Sheriff issued concerns about selling off the guns, saying that they could end up back on the streets.

One has to think, however, that if the proper background checks are done and the guns are only sold to people willing to use them for good, that they won't end up in the wrong hands.
Sadly, all too often the mindset about selling guns like this is a negative one, “what if they end up back on the streets? Is it worth the risk?”
Perhaps a better way of looking at it, though, is that what if one of those “cheaply” acquired guns by a law abiding citizen helps to save their life or someone they love? Would that be worth the “risk” of selling them at auction? I believe it would. After all, what if the only way someone who wishes to defend him or herself is able to do so by buying a cheap gun at an auction?
In comparison, this small county in Georgia raised a good amount of money to help offset whatever bills they may have, while, just this past summer, Los Angeles and other municipalities in California, melted their “crime guns” down to be turned into construction materials. They arguably have many more guns capable of bringing in a lot more money. Maybe they like debt, more.
The sad truth, is that fear usually wins. Even in states that require gun auctions, some counties don't follow the law and decide to just hold on to the guns out of fear that they'd end up in the wrong hands. To them I say this: What if they end up in the right hands? What if they end up in the hands of a person willing to use it to save life, and not take the life of an innocent? What if they saw you getting beaten on the side of the road, stopped, and saved you? Would it be worth the risk then? Because the vast majority of guns sold, end up in the right hands.
Trust me when I say that if law abiding gun owners were the problem, you'd know it.
What do you think about this? Do you think it's a good idea for counties to auction off firearms? Let us know in the comments below. Then, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss any of our videos.
Cover photo and source article via marketplace.org.