Your favorite Parks and Recreation fan has logged on once more. Just in time to tell you that you’re wrong about one beloved character and I have Nick Offerman to back me up.
During a conversation with IndieWire, Offerman was talking about how some of his characters are a little more right-wing leaning when he, himself, is very vocally liberal. One character that is often misunderstood in his political beliefs is Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation. He tends to be labeled as a Republican and some take it one step further to say that he would be MAGA as would the rest of Pawnee.
That is a misunderstanding of his character. He’s a Libertarian who hates the government control over people. A fact that Offerman echoed. “Ron Swanson, a wonderful creation from much more brilliant minds than my own, people hold up for the wrong reasons, and take their own reading of this true Libertarian who was cool with everybody,” Offerman said. “And they somehow say, ‘Well, he had a shotgun, so he must be one of us.’”
He went on to say, “Like, dumb people insist that Ron Swanson would’ve voted for Trump. And I don’t deign to answer myself.” Mike Schur has, in the past, said that Ron wouldn’t have voted for Trump because he went into a government office.
“He would think he’s an absolute idiot,” Offerman finally said of how Ron would think of Trump. “He would also despise him because he’s disrespectful to women and many others. And that’s just an example of all the people and value sets that Ron would despise, because Ron is a good person.”
You all forget who Ron’s best friend is
We have lived in a world without Leslie Knope through most of Trump’s Presidency. The Amy Poehler character has made an appearance in specials like the Covid episode and the cast has reunited to campaign for Democratic candidates like Joe Biden (and some joined in the fight for Kamala Harris). But one thing about Leslie Knope that I’ve always turned to is her hope and joy and knowing that she would not tolerate the praise of Trump.
At least not in her close friend circle. Not that Ron ever would but if Ron Swanson dared to vote for Trump, Leslie would let him have it. But as Offerman said, Ron loves and respect women too much to entertain Trump and Ron isn’t racist or anti-immigration. Ron Swanson is simply pro “stay out of my business.”
The MAGA party thinks that they are one with Ron Swanson but fundamentally misunderstand the character. Not a person in the main crew of the Pawnee Parks Department would have voted for Donald Trump. To think that means you did not actually understand the show you were watching. But at least we have Nick Offerman here to set the record straight on Ron Swanson.
Now, if you wanted to say that the government shouldn’t be worried about what you’re doing and living off the grid? Then you’d have Ron on your side.
(featured image: NBC)
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