New England Patriots kicker Justin Rohrwasser told the media Saturday that the “Thee Percent” tattoo on his left arm is not intended to symbolize allegiance to a right-wing militia group.
Rohrwasser, who was drafted by the Patriots with their 159th overall pick on Saturday, has a number of tattoos on his arms, including a large U.S. flag on his right forearm, the words “Liberty or Death” on his left forearm, and the Roman numeral three surrounded by a circle of stars at the crook of his left arm. He also sports a tattoo about the Dave Matthews Band and another reading “Don’t Tread on Me.”
Some in the media began asking if the “three percent” tattoo represented the slogan of a right-wing militia group. But the Patriots’ new placekicker denies any connection to militias, the Washington Times reported.
The slogan has been used to represent the purported “three percent” of the colonists who rose up to oppose the British in the American Revolution.
Liberal watchdog groups claim that the “Three Percenters” are an anti-government militia group linked to white-supremacists. Those who claim fealty to the slogan say they are not a militia but aim “to reign in an overreaching government and push back against tyranny.”
Whatever they are or are not, Rohrwasser says he has no connection to them and got the tattoo years ago assuming it meant support for the U.S. military.
Now, though, he says he is planning to get rid of the marking. “It evolved into something I do not want to represent,” he said. “It will be covered.”
The question was raised last year, as well. At the time, Rohrwasser described his tattoos as “all random.”
Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.