‘Parks and Rec’ Star Nick Offerman Tears Into ‘Close-Minded NRA Fanatics’

'Parks and Rec' Star Nick Offerman Tears Into 'Close-Minded NRA Fanatics'

The actor takes issue with a "particularly ugly team" claiming ownership of his freedom-loving character on the former NBC sitcom.

Nick Offerman is not afraid to call out "close-minded NRA fanatics," even if they're some of his biggest fans.

The "Parks and Rec" alum went on a tear against the National Rifle Association and those who are unable to have a sensible conversation about gun reform in a new Daily Beast interview.

"I get a lot of really sad, tear-filled divorces from right-wing Ron Swanson fans that don’t have much imagination," the actor said, adding that "closed-minded NRA fanatics will say mean things or argue why ideas like Everytown are so stupid or take that leap that we’re trying to do away with the Second Amendment, all of which is simply idiotic."

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Offerman, unlike his character, is an advocate for sensible gun control. His conversation with the Daily Beast was sparked by him offering to donate $10 from every purchase from his Offerman Wood Shop to Everytown for Gun Safety for two weeks leading up to the March For Our Lives protest earlier this month.

And before that, Offerman called out the NRA for tweeting a GIF of co-star Amy Poehler's character Leslie Knope saying "thank you," as a means of thanking spokeswoman Dana Loesch for "being the voice of over 5 million NRA members."

.@NRA @DLoesch our good-hearted show and especially our Leslie Knope represent the opposite of your pro-slaughter agenda – take it down and also please eat shit. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/Ar2YF4yoic

— Nick Offerman (@Nick_Offerman) February 22, 2018

"I deal with this a lot," Offerman said. "People from the farthest right to the farthest left alignment claim some sort of ownership of the iconography of 'Parks and Recreation,' but specifically my character Ron Swanson. And that is, I believe, a testament to the success of the show, that everybody feels like it’s about them. Everybody feels like it’s theirs. It’s promoting their team."

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"Generally, that’s a good thing," he continued. "But when a particularly ugly team claims public ownership, then we comment on it. It’s not dissimilar from a musician asking a shitty politician not to play their rock and roll song at their rally."

The actor, who next plays a guitar-playing dad in upcoming movie "Hearts Beat Loud," wants people to understand that the gun control issue doesn't have a simple solution.

"I would just encourage people to understand that there will never be a clear and simple answer to these questions. If there is a solution or even just an alleviation, it’s going to be complicated," Offerman continued. "And it may certainly require some trial and error. So far, to my knowledge, it’s mostly been a lot of bipartisan shouting and name-calling. A group like Everytown is making a solid effort to simply try to help alleviate a social malaise in which school kids are being slaughtered."

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