A poorly doctored video, a hurtful message, and a stinging reply. That’s what happened when Michael Flynn Jr., son of former U.S. National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, used a clip from Parks and Recreation to make a statement about Pride month.
Flynn Jr. posted on his X account a clip from Season 4, Episode 9 of the hit show in which the character Ron Swanson throws out his computer.
Highlights
- Michael Flynn Jr. posts a hateful message about Pride Month on his X account
- Flynn Jr. shared a clip from the show Parks and Recreation to make it seem like the character Ron Swanson was throwing out a Pride flag
- The actor who played Ron, Nick Offerman, responds to Flynn Jr.’s post with note about inclusiveness
The clip was doctored to appear to show Swanson throwing out the Pride Flag.
Nick Offerman, who plays Ron Swanson, is quick to squash Flynn Jr.’s hateful message
Image credits: Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images
Image credits: Parks and Recreation / YouTube
Nick Offerman, who portrayed the cantankerous Ron Swanson in the series, had a few choice words in his reply to the post.
“Ron was best man at a gay wedding, you dumb f**k”-” Offerman said in his reply.
The actual clip Flynn Jr. posted was from the ninth Episode of the fourth Season, The Trial of Leslie Knope, which aired on December 1, 2011.
Image credits: realmflynnJR / X
In that episode, Ron's character gets frustrated with Google Earth, so he throws his computer into a dumpster.
The doctored clip used by Flynn Jr. covers the image of the computer with that of the rainbow pride flag, making it seem like Ron is tossing the pride flag into the dumpster.
But as Offerman points out, in the show, Swanson is supportive of gay lifestyles. Ron Swanson was the best man at his barber's wedding in the Season 7 two-part finale.
“And that’s how you handle a bigot,” netizens lift up Offerman for his reply
Image credits: Library of Congress Life / Flickr
Netizens were quick to point out the hypocrisy of Flynn Jr.’s post.
“Ron Swanson was a libertarian. He would be in support of LGBT and respect freedom of expression and property rights,” one person said.
Another added, “And THAT’S how you handle a bigot. Ron would be proud.”
“Incredible reply, 10/10, no notes,” said another.
Image credits: Nick_Offerman
“X user,” in this case, is the son of a traitor,” one person said, referring to Flynn Jr’s father.
“You tell ‘em, Nick. It’s amazing (not actually amazing) to me how dumb these homophobes are. They have zero critical thinking skills. I can’t believe I have to share a world with them.”
Offerman won an award for the portrayal of a gay character in The Last of Us
Image credits: Parks and Recreation / YouTube
Many netizens were also quick to point out that Offerman portrayed a gay man in a long-term relationship on the show The Last of Us, for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award in 2024.
“Haven’t they seen the last of us?” one person asked.
“Nick was also in one of the best episodes of television ever, about a gay couple,” still another said.
Image credits: mflynnjr / TikTok
Image credits: realmflynnJR
During his acceptance speech at the time of the award show, he talked about the homophobic hate that the episode received from viewers.
“Thanks to HBO for having the guts to participate in this storytelling tradition that is truly independent,” Offerman said. “Stories with guts that when homophobic hate comes my way, and says, ‘Why did you have to make it a gay story?’ we say, ‘Because you ask questions like that,’“ Offerman said.
June is Pride Month, which can trace its origins back to the Stonewall Inn riots
Image credits: Anders Krusberg / Peabody Awards / Flickr
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The very first Pride Month marches were held in the U.S. in June of 1970 after the infamous Stonewall Inn riots in New York City.
As one of the only gay bars at the time, the Stonewall Inn was subjected to police raids because they were not granted a liquor license.
On the night of June 28th, large riots broke out when police attempted to raid the bar. In the days after the incident, demonstrations and marches took place in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago in what was deemed a watershed moment for LGBT rights.
Since then, the month of June has been recognized nationally as a time to observe and celebrate the contributions of the LGBTQ community and culture.
Image credits: Film Independent / YouTube
The Human Rights Campaign, an organization based in Washington, D.C., that lobbies for LGBTQ+ rights and laws that treat all people equally, recently commented on the start of Pride Month.
Image credits: Dylan Hogan / YouTube
“This Pride Month, we are shouting loud and clear: THESE COLORS DON’T RUN,” a press release from their website said.
“Our visibility has never mattered more, and neither has our strength. And as HRC’s Brandon Wolf says, NO president can push us back into the closet,” it continued.
Netizens call foul on hateful Pride post but praise Nick as “King” for his witty comeback
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