Well, almost all on video. Georgia State Rep. Erica Thomas posted a video on Facebook claiming to have been viciously verbally assaulted in a racist grocery store tirade. But turns out the story is quite as pat and bias-confirming as the blue check mob who made #IStandWithErica trend on Twitter wanted us all to believe.
We found out just how complicated when, get this, the man who stood accused spoke out on camera about it. And then get even more this, he was on camera because he showed up DURING a local news broadcast from the actual grocery store. And even more get even more this, they were there to interview Thomas, and when he showed up, the two traded words right there.
So basically everything in this story was caught on video. You know, except the actual alleged racist tirade. Gosh how inconvenient.
In the tear-filled Facebook video, Thomas blamed “white privilege” and said things are getting “out of control” as she recounted being in the 15 items or less line with more than 15 items. She said the man had “so much hate in his heart” and refused to understand that she is pregnant and can’t stand for very long, and that was the reason for being in the faster-moving lane. She also looped in Trump, claiming the man told her to “go back where she came from.”
Eric Sparkes, the man accused, brought the twist to the story when he showed up at the grocery store where a local news crew was covering the story, and offered his side of the story. And Thomas was there. And they traded words on camera. Sparkes said to her that she lied about what he said and “everything that happened.”
Oh, and also he’s Cuban and a Democrat. Oops.
“She’s doing it for political purposes,” he said, accusing her of race-baiting for political gain.
The guy admitted to being a jerk, and to calling her a b****, but said that she’s lying about the rest. He also challenged her to produce video.
And if you’re wondering where the Cuban part comes in, well just read up.
Georgia Democrat Erica Thomas claims a "white man" told her to "go back to where I came from"
The guy is a Cuban Democrat and he says that he didn't say that and that she is doing this for political gain
He defended "the squad" this week on Facebook against Trump's attacks pic.twitter.com/ldWvrYGyqJ
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) July 20, 2019
Two people yelling at a grocery store, allegedly one using racist insults, and not a soul whipped out a phone and filmed it?
Yeah I think I’d be a lot more careful than some of these #IStandWithErica folks.
But how crazy is it they were both at the store again? It’s a smollett world after all, I guess. Uh, I mean “small.”
No nevermind. I meant Smollett.