Pat Patriot
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- Mar 19, 2019
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New Patriots kicker Justin Rohrwasser says he intends to get a tattoo removed from his forearm that bears the symbol of a far-right militia movement and paramilitary group.
In an emotional interview with Steve Burton of WBZ-TV in Boston, Rohrwasser expressed regret for a tattoo he said he didn’t fully understand the meaning of.
“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. I said cover it up but I want to get it removed from my body. It’s shameful that I had it on there ignorantly,” Rohrwasser said.
“It was described to me as the percentage of colonists that rose up against the authoritarian 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.”
Rohrwasser, now 23, said he got the tattoo when he was 18. The symbol has been appropriated by the far-right group The Three Percenters. He then got emotional in discussing the roller coaster of emotions from getting drafted, to seeing the reaction to the tattoo and the association that came with it and the blow back experienced by those closest to him.
“We were celebrating and hugging [Saturday]. So happy. I went on to Twitter. I saw that someone had taken a picture of me, and put it with my tattoo and linking me to some horrific events. Obviously Charlottesville, and these horrible things,” Rohrwasser said.
“I’m sorry for all my friends and family that have to defend me. Putting them in that compromising position is one of the biggest regrets I’ll ever have. To them, I’m sorry. I’m going to learn from this. I’m going to take ownership of it. This is not who I am. No matter what, that’s not who I am. Hopefully you will all find that out.”