The only purpose of a gun is to kill

[internet troll]

[Rant on]

I have been reading this argument by antis a lot lately. It normally comes up when a pro gun person uses the argument "lets get rid of cars to because they kill" The anti will respond with something like "But but but cars have other purposes, a guns only purpose is to harm or kill"

No, a guns purpose in the hands of a honest citizen is SELF DEFENSE and PRESERVE the lives of honest people. If one or more criminals are coming at me with bats, I'm not going to say "Good sirs, I'm so glad you are using bats, they are also for baseball so everything is cool with us!" right before they rob me, pumell me or whatever. I don't want a bat to defend myself because I can use it for baseball, I want the most effective thing for SELF DEFENSE. I want a device create for self defense and whose purpose is geared towards self defense and preserving my life and the life of those I care about and love.

If someone is threatening me, my friends or family with a knife, I am not going to say "whew, thanks for using a knife, you can cut steaks, butter, string, and other things with knives, it makes your actions so much better". I want something designed for SELF DEFENSE.

Designed to kill, maybe, only purpose, not by a long shot.

[rant off]

[legendarylorot]

But, but... the only purpose of cars is to convert dead animals and plants into pollution! It just so happens that we can harness that power to get mechanical energy.

Just like the only purpose of guns is to kill. It just so happens we can harness that power to stop a murder, or a rape, or a robbery.

[scruff]

One purpose of a gun is to persuade. If that fails, then it's on to purpose #2.

[Connal]

My guns have never killed. No animals, no people.

That being said, if you are of the school of thought that paper targets are "living" you might want to look at things differently.

The purpose, and design of a firearm is to expel a projectile. High velocity, low velocity, buck shot, or rubber. Doesn't matter to the antis though. What with all our heat seaking bullets that cook the animal. Our hi capacity assault pistols, and voodoo curses we place on our barrels to always point at an innocent.

The anti's will almost certainly be anti for as long as they are alive. Unless something significant occurs to change their outlook. I have stopped trying to argue with them.

[mpan72]

I don't think the only purpose of a gun is to kill. There are several legal things you can do with a gun that serve a real need.

With that being said I will state that many guns are legaly bought for one reason, to stop a threat, and killing that threat is a possible outcome.

Most or my guns were bought with that purpose in mind. I make no bones and offer no excuses about it. I have a God given right to defend my life and the lives of anyone I would care to defend.

I love the look on peoples faces when I don't deny their argument and agree, "Yes my guns have one purpose and that is to stop or kill a threat". This is a legitimite and legal reason for owning guns. They usually don't have a response to that. They just repeat all the cliche catch phrases they have heard.

[FNG19]

The anti will respond with something like "But but but cars have other purposes, a guns only purpose is to harm or kill"

I don't know... there's a little gathering in London right now that features target shooting, archery, fencing, javelin, baseball, judo, etc, and I imagine each and every one of the competitors will tell you that they have absolutely zero intention of killing anyone with their tool of trade.

What purpose does a bow have? Foil? Spear? Club? Judo?

[NShortino]

I don't know... there's a little gathering in London right now that features target shooting, archery, fencing, javelin, baseball, judo, etc, and I imagine each and every one of the competitors will tell you that they have absolutely zero intention of killing anyone with their tool of trade.

What purpose does a bow have? Foil? Spear? Club? Judo?

Given that a lot of people only are persuaded by arguments of immediate relevance, I really love this response. Even the most anti-gun of countries (England especially) have a shooting team.

I've heard a lot of responses to this discussion about how target shooting is only practice for killing (as if we're all psychopaths for target shooting), but in the context of the Olympics all that practice is to bring home gold for their country.

Granted you'll still hear the argument that they Olympic shooters don't use "assault rifles", but maybe it's time we push for some Olympic 3-gun to really piss of the anti's.

[streaker69]

Granted you'll still hear the argument that they Olympic shooters don't use "assault rifles", but maybe it's time we push for some Olympic 3-gun to really piss of the anti's.

Olympic Class Zombie Three Gun, if they want the ratings, they'll do it.

[FNG19]

Given that a lot of people only are persuaded by arguments of immediate relevance, I really love this response.

Thanks.

Granted you'll still hear the argument that they Olympic shooters don't use "assault rifles", but maybe it's time we push for some Olympic 3-gun to really piss of the anti's.

My response to that is this: "Even if they did, would it change anything? They're still using what you consider to be instruments of death for fun and profit." Once they've conceded that there are valid purposes for using firearms outside of <Hoplophobe>Death And Mayhem</Hoplophobe>, we're just haggling over price as the saying goes.

And as far as Olympic Three Gun? We already have it -- there are pistol, rifle, and shotgun shooting events!

[American1776]

Just point out that not all homicides are wrong. There is such a thing called justifiable homicide, and that's what guns can be used for. As long as you concede that some homicides are just (and therefore the right thing to do), then of course guns have justifiable and legitimate uses even when used to kill.
Ast I checked, there are situations in which deadly force is the right action to take. Firearms enable effective means for resorting to deadly force. Therefore, firearms can be used for just and moral purposes (especially when they are used to save your life, your family, and everything you hold dear).