You probably heard the story about the New England Patriots draft pick who took a lot of heat over the weekend for having a tattoo on his arm associated with “The Three Percenters,” which is viewed as a right-wing militia movement that advocates for Second Amendment rights. In their words, they’re a “national organization made up of patriotic citizens who love their country, their freedoms, and their liberty,” though others dispute the claim and say there are elements of racism and white supremacy in the group.

Anyhow, I’m not trying to get into a political mess here, I just found the story interesting, via ESPN:

New England Patriots rookie kicker Justin Rohrwasser told WBZ-TV in Boston on Monday that he will remove a tattoo on his arm associated with “The Three Percenters” — a right-wing militia group — because it doesn’t represent who he is.

Rohrwasser, 23, said he was 18 when he got the tattoo.

“As soon as I saw what it was linked to on Saturday, it was exactly that time I knew I had to get it totally taken off my body,” he said. “I said cover it up [to reporters], but I want to get it removed from my body. It’s shameful that I had it on there ignorantly.”

Rohrwasser, who was selected in the NFL draft‘s fifth round Saturday (No. 159 overall), told Patriots reporters that day that he thought the tattoo stood for supporting the military and said he “should have done way more research before I put any mark or symbol like that on my body.”

In the television interview Monday, he added, “It was described to me as the percentage of colonists that rose up against the government of the British. I was like, ‘Wow, that is such an American sentiment, a patriotic sentiment.’ Coming from a military family, I thought that really spoke to me. I always was proud to be an American. I’m very proud to be an American.”

Hey, at least it’s not our problem.

Edit:


I guess I should actually share a picture of the tattoo –