Dr. Tommy Miller is a renowned Cardiologist in Tennessee and a graduate of the University of California, Davis. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc and the National African American Gun Association (NAAGA). He has a passion for guns and the 2nd Amendment. His enjoyment started many years ago, and I recently interviewed him to learn more.

“I was exposed to guns at an early age because my grandparents lived on a farm in Tennessee. My grandfather carried a rifle or shotgun in his truck’s back window when he drove around town and elsewhere. He taught me so much about taking care of the land, animals, and the respect and need for guns. Safety was always first in his mind. That was constantly reinforced when he would talk to me as a young kid. In the evening, he would sit at the kitchen table while cleaning the guns and talk about what I should not do when handling a firearm.

Here is my grandfather’s version of the “safety rules.” He would always say, “don’t point a gun at a man unless you are willing to shoot him or have to for self-protection, always check and double-check to see if a gun is loaded. Never look down the barrel of a gun, and never shoot my cows on the farm!

My first experience with a gun was a “Daisy BB gun.” I was so excited. I shot up everything around the yard. I even remember shooting a few of my grandfather’s cows, which was breaking his golden rule. I did get caught because they started running and broke out of the pasture. I felt the wrath of my grandfather’s strap after that event. That ended my cow shooting days as I didn’t want to feel the strap again.

After I became a pretty good shot with the BB gun, my grandfather moved me up to a .22 rifle. I was so excited and hunted everything with that .22 from birds, frogs, and possum. That .22 was my best friend and my favorite gun because it provided me with a connection to the land and my grandfather.

Being a physician gives me a unique perspective on firearms. My goal as a physician is to preserve life and do no harm. I live by this daily.

I also feel that owning a firearm is our right as a citizen of the United States, and that right gives me the means to protect my family against those that might harm them. I have to admit that if I ever have to use a gun to defend my family, I will do so without hesitation. However, I will probably give CPR to the assailant. Ironic but true.

I currently own five guns: the .22 I grew up with, a shotgun, AR-15, and two 9mm handguns. Guns are a part of the fabric of my family. Everyone learned to shoot. My grandfather gave all the women in the family a .38 revolver after they graduated from high school and before they headed to college.

There is a unique connection between firearms and my family.