![\"Donny](\"http:\/\/staging.tcpcharms.com\/bjpenn\/wp-content\/uploads\/Donny-Aaron.png\")
<\/p>\nDonny Aaron, the husband and coach of UFC flyweight Andrea Lee, has a number of Nazi tattoos on his body.\u00a0The first, a Swastika, appears near the elbow of his left arm (visible in the image above). The second, the SS bolts of Adolf Hilter’s Schutzstaffel, appears on his right arm (visible below).<\/p>\n
These tattoos are not new, but only recently became public knowledge thanks to an social media post from Lee, in which Aaron’s swastika tattoo was brazenly displayed.<\/p>\n
Unsurprisingly, Aaron quickly found himself engulfed in a firestorm of controversy and backlash as a result of these tattoos.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In a lengthy statement posted to social media, Aaron explained that he got these tattoos while serving a prison sentence many years ago, and that neither he not Lee is racist. Strangely, however, he says he will not get these symbols of hatred removed from his body.<\/p>\n
Here’s what he had to say:<\/p>\n
Please read this and accept my most sincere apologies to all I have offended when the photos of my tattoos became public. I\u2019d most like to apologize to Andrea and my brother Kendrik (both pictured) for putting them in a position to feel the need to defend me when there is no defense or justification for the abhorrent tattoos that I ashamedly wear. I\u2019d also like to apologize to her employers at the UFC for bringing them shame and embarrassment. Not least of these I apologize to MMA fans world wide for giving the sport a temporary black eye and for offending so many of those who\u2019ve supported us for years. And to all of the elite pro fighters I\u2019ve been blesses to work with I pray this doesn\u2019t change your opinion of me even through most of this groups know my story.<\/em><\/p>\n Furthermore, I\u2019d like to apologize to Andrea\u2019s sponsors who were certainly blindsided by this as were many. Know that I only offer reasons, not excuses or justification for the choices I made in my 20s. My body is covered in tattoos that tell the story of where I have been, what I\u2019ve gone through and what I\u2019ve overcome. These \u201cscars\u201d tell my history which include a dark time when I was in prison. However, they do not accurately represent who I am today as a person, my personal belief system and the respect I have for people of all races and religion. For 13 years I have tried to atone for my sins and seek forgiveness from those most certainly find my body reprehensible. I\u2019ve, in most cases, gone to great lengths to always wear long sleeves in public setting. The photo posted was complacent error in judgment as my excitement and not thoughtfulness ruled that day.<\/em><\/p>\n Many of you have offered solutions to my problem: Coverups, laser removal ect. Please trust me when I say I\u2019ve explored both avenues and unfortunately neither is an option for me. In the meantime, I understand that many won\u2019t forgive me and don\u2019t believe in second chances and to you I say, \u2018I understand\u2019. I don\u2019t deserve forgiveness and I\u2019m certainly not asking for sympathy. If however you do believe in forgiveness, then I promise it won\u2019t be wasted on me. I am a different human being un my mid 40\u2019s that I was in my 20\u2019s.<\/em><\/p>\n As a final statement to Andrea\u2019s character, it\u2019s with certainty that I can promise you that she didn\u2019t marry a racist. When Andrea and I met, I had already began to reinvent my life and if she\u2019d seen any racist behavior or attitude she\u2019d have never given me the time of day. Instead, she met a man who was and still does speak to at risk youth, who goes and speaks to inmates, who is active in his church, and who has always offered pro bono training to physically challenged and unprivileged youth.<\/em><\/p>\n My life has become very culturally diverse and Andrea stared right passed my tattoos [and] at the man I\u2019ve become. I can\u2019t offer many solutions but I do offer this: Unless you go digging up old photos of me, you\u2019ll never see my tattoos again. I\u2019d rather hold the camera for Andrea, the real star anyway. Again, I offer myself as a humble and apologetic man.<\/em><\/p>\n Please don\u2019t let the sins of my past define my future. Please don\u2019t let your hatred over me bleed into hatred toward Andrea. If you have to hate someone then please hate me. She doesn\u2019t deserve it. She is genuinely the best person I know.<\/em><\/p>\n Andrea Lee also issues several, shorter statements on her husband’s tattoos, making similar assurances that he isn’t racist. Several of these statements have since been deleted.<\/p>\n https:\/\/twitter.com\/JESnowden\/status\/1002743298174447616<\/p>\n I actually have many ethnic friends, regardless of what y\u2019all keep saying I am not racist, nor have I ever been. And the more you call me racist is never going to make it true.<\/p>\n — Andrea Lee (@AndreaKGBLee) June 3, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n