Nick Offerman Backs Australian Gun Laws; Calls Out The Oregon Militia As “Crackpots”
"I have such a respect and admiration for Australia."
With its rigid dedication to the US’ second amendment right to bear arms, the NRA regularly positions itself as an authority on what is and is not American. Along with their supporters — *waves to FOX News* — much of their rhetoric revolves around ‘freedom’ or the supposed lack of it; also, their logo is literally a bald eagle sitting atop a shield emblazoned with the American flag aside two enormous guns.
Subtle, guys.
Unsurprisingly, it’s this patriotism that they’re using to defend themselves as the US gears up to an election-year debate about gun control. After President Obama brought the issue to the fore through a discussion on Marc Maron’s WTF podcast last year and praised Australia’s buyback scheme after the 1996 Port Arthur Massacre, the NRA responded as though they were going into all-out war. “Australia, there will be blood,” they wrote next to a blood-stained portrait of our country. “The spectre of gun confiscation is haunting [the US]”. Overnight, they also released a follow-up video tightening their target on us and featuring what seemed to be the soundtrack of the new Independence Day movie.
Unfortunately for them, we’ve now got the most undeniably American person in the world on our side. In an interview with Junkee writer James Colley this week, comedian Nick Offerman came out in direct support of Australian gun laws.
“In general, especially since gun control is such a hot issue in America right now, I have such a respect and admiration for Australia for the deal that they put through,”he said. “[It’s] one that our powers seem to be ignoring. You want to say, ‘these folks seem like they have a pretty good idea, it worked pretty well, can’t we acknowledge that?’”
PREACH
He then went on to speak about both his on- and off-screen persona — one which has routinely been regarded as quintessentially American. “I hope that I represent the good parts of America,” he said. “I understand wholeheartedly the shitty parts of America. I would not want them to infiltrate my country either. Even though I live here among them, I try to keep them out of my own sphere as best I can.
“There’s this thing going on in Oregon right now where some crackpots have taken over a remote bird sanctuary claiming they are somehow staging a coup against the tyranny of our government. I just find the whole thing so embarrassing and sad because we live in a nation that by and large is soft and comfortable. We are not required to be in the outback or under siege in any way. We simply have to decide if we’re going to drive a Chevy or a BMW or if we’re going to get our meal at McDonalds or Burger King.”
FYI this isn’t the first time he’s made comments like this. In 2014, he made a speech at a Radio and Television Correspondents’ Association dinner to the same effect.
“I’m a second amendment originalist,” he said. “That means I think every man and woman has the right to bear arms, but only the same arms our country’s forefathers bore in the 18th century: muskets. I’m talking black powder muzzle-loaded smooth board guns fashioned with a bayonet. And then, only as a last resort. If you have a beef with me, I’m going to expect you to resolve it with me using reasonable discourse, using your words and civility. If our tempers have flared past the point of reasonable discourse, then I expect you to challenge me to in an honourable contest of fisticuffs like a grown adult. To remove oneself to the safe range of a firearm in America, is nothing short of cowardly.”
“A bunch of nincompoops in Texas thought it would be a good idea to bring shotguns into a Chili’s to prove some kind of point,” he continued. “But all it did was remind everyone how fucked it up is that you’re allowed to bring shotguns into a family restaurant in Texas.”
–