In Indianapolis, we have a growing problem with murder and gun violence. Everybody’s talking about it. And talking. And talking. And talking.

Everybody’s talking about what we need to do. That’s good. We need to talk, and there are no easy answers. The answers may be as much about education and income stability as anything.

Still: It’s just too damned easy to get and carry a gun. Too. Damned. Easy.

What, after all, is the purpose of a gun? The purpose of a gun–if we’re being honest–is to kill something. It’s a tool that has enough power, when used properly (and very often improperly) to kill. Hunting rifles and shotguns are for killing animals. Handguns–if we’re being honest–are for killing people. That’s the purpose behind their design–they are portable, concealable, easy-to-use tools for killing a person.

You may feel protected when you carry a gun, but guns are not for protection: They are for killing. Were I a paranoid person or on some sort of mystery-solving adventure, I might also feel safer if I carried my eight-inch chef’s knife that is for chopping vegetables. I might feel safer carrying a baseball bat or accompanied by a dog. (P.S.: The purpose of a dog is not to protect you. As far as I can tell, the purpose of a dog is to be a dog.) But guns are only for killing.

http://www.punchnels.com/2014/07/17/what-is-the-purpose-of-a-gun/