But was it racism?

 The Summit HOA published the following statement on its website:

STATEMENT FROM BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The behavior and conduct of Mr. Pentland is not condoned by The Summit Community and in-fact strongly condemned by the Board, and members of this community. He does not represent this multi-cultural and multi-racial community. His behavior is not in line with this communities values and will be dealt with appropriately by local law enforcement. The Summit has no recourse into actions against Mr. Pentland, but have been informed by local law enforcement and Ft. Jackson authorities that this issue is as high a priority as it is with this community and we are confident that it will be resolved and dealt with appropriately by those agencies.
There is racism in every community in every city, state, county, and country. We must always expose it and speak out against it wherever it rears its ugly head. We thank the community for bringing this to our attention and giving it the exposure it deserves. We understand the need to protest and the want to speak up by protest, but request that you not protest within the community. This only hurts the overwhelmingly good citizens of this small neighborhood.
Thank you,
The Summit Board of Directors
Justin Martin

The sidewalk video went "viral" and seemed to become as big a news event as mass shootings around the U.S. and officer-involved shootings.

The HOA Board appears to have assumed that it was a hated racial incident and a crime worthy of attention far and wide.

However, in conversations with some of my black friends in Columbia, they have told me that this is not a racial incident. Not. a. racial. incident.

And some of them have credible knowledge of preceding circumstances that led up this incident. Knowledge that the board members probably don't have and that many others - most, if not all others - do not have. It seems to me, now, that some of the local rumors may not be "just" rumors. 

In my opinion, there was no need for the HOA Board to issue any statement at all. What happened was an incident between two men in front of one house. It will be resolved within the criminal justice system. Is the Board going to begin issuing statements every time a Summit resident is arrested for a crime?

One commenter on a social media site posted that she knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who knew someone who knows Ben Crump, an attorney whose name has been associated with so many between Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and right on up until current days. Ben Crump, who attracts multi-, multi-, multi-million dollar cases is going to be interested in a third-degree assault & battery case with no injury in Richland County? Seriously?

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