PARA USA, the arms supplier for Taken 3, isn’t happy that the film’s star has expressed negative views about guns, and says it is now boycotting future work with the man possessing “a particular set of skills.” Liam Neeson has built a career renaissance out of dispatching bad guys with guns, as well as his fists, knives, tea kettles, other people’s fists, etc. But it turns out the Irish actor isn’t so wild about guns in real life.
In a recent interview, Neeson slammed what he perceives as a superabundance of guns. “Especially in America,” Neeson said. “I think the population is, like, 320 million? There’s over 300 million guns privately owned in America.” He further described America’s gun violence problem and frequency of school shootings a “disgrace.” Neeson was quick to dismiss any hypocrisy on his part, saying that in his movies, “going out with guns and taking revenge—it’s fantasy.” After all, as Neeson recently took pains to clarify, the Taken films are not actually real.
In response to those comments, PARA USA has issued a statement through its Facebook page acknowledging that, while Neeson’s revenge-fueled violent fantasies are quite entertaining, it can’t associate itself with somebody who would give voice to the twisted logic that gun-related deaths are in any way connected to the prevalence of guns. So PARA has announced that it’s taking its guns and going home:
Comments made by [Taken 3’s] Irish-born star during press junkets reflect a cultural and factual ignorance that undermines support of the Second Amendment and American liberties. We will no longer provide firearms for use in films starring Liam Neeson and ask that our friends and partners in Hollywood refrain from associating our brand and products with his projects. Further, we encourage our partners and friends in the firearms industry to do the same.
The message is unambiguous: Do your part to protect the Second Amendment, and don’t sell fake guns to Liam Neeson.