Uh, doesn’t the Washington Post know that the video (surprise, surprise) presents a totally distorted version of events. Here’s what actually transpired, according to an African-American man who lives in the neighborhood:
Benet Embry just wanted a respite from the heat when he went to his neighborhood pool Friday. Talking to CNN Monday about the national story that rolled out of that simple, mundane summer activity still has him pretty well dismayed.
The 43-year-old African-American has lived in Craig Ranch, a planned community, for eight years. It’s a nice place. Racially diverse. People get along there.
Thinking back on the pool party, he might have known it would be crowded. The invite to the party had earlier caught fire on Twitter and social media. Craig Ranch’s strict homeowners’ association rules prohibit bringing more than two guests to the pool.
So when crowds of teenagers showed up, huddling by the gate and shouting to let them in, things got out of hand. Some kids jumped over the fence, Embry said. A security guard tried to get them to leave but was outnumbered, so the guard called police.
Police would arrive, and one officer seen on a video later posted to YouTube, would be placed on administrative leave. The officer cursed at several black teenagers, yanked a 14-year-old girl wearing only a bikini to the ground and knelt on her back. He also unholstered his firearm and chased teenage boys as they approached him while he was trying to control the girl.
Shortly after the approximately seven minute video hit YouTube, many on social media alleged that the white officer was racist. The Texas NAACP called meetings because members suspected as much, its president, Gary Bledsoe, said on CNN Monday.
Embry disagrees.
“Let me reiterate, the neighbors or the neighborhood did not call the police because this was an African-American party or whatever the situation is,” he said. “This was not a racially motivated event — at all. This whole thing is being blown completely out of proportion.”
Another resident said a DJ set up his gear in a public space near the pool and began blasting F-bomb music for several hours, while tweeting out invites to a “pool party” for 15. Carloads of kids—not from the neighborhood—showed up and chaos ensued.
Did the Post know this? Probably...and they choose to ignore it, since it doesn’t fit the narrative of white cops beating up black kids.
Kudos to Mr. Embry for coming forward and setting the record straight. I believe he was on TV with Sean Hannity last night, and I was surprised to see CNN carrying his comments as well. The residents’ accounts of what transpired cast the incident in a completely different light.
Do you think the truth matters these days? Not to the media, not to the race whores, not to the Justice Dept and certainly not to Obama.