Thursday, March 26, 2009

Reaction to Oakland Police Murders Paint a Much Graver Picture

by Stacy Dittrich

The brutal homicides of 4 Oakland (CA) police officers, and a 5th officer wounded, this past Saturday is beginning to paint a greater picture of what’s to come. The horrific turn of events began when two officers on motorcycles initiated a routine traffic stop on Lovelle Mixon, 26, of Oakland. With the knowledge that he had an arrest warrant, without a bond, Mixon opened fire on both officers killing one at the scene—the other died two days later. Mixon fled on foot to a nearby apartment building, where he was subsequently surrounded by SWAT members. As the team entered the apartment, Mixon shot and killed two other policemen before he was fatally shot by return fire.

With an already extensive criminal history, Mixon (pictured right) was on parole for assault with a deadly weapon which was the result of an armed robbery he had pulled years earlier. His parole was violated, and the warrant issued, when Mixon failed to appear for several appointments with his parole officer. Consequently, it was an assault rifle that Mixon used to kill the last two officers with. What probably sickened me the most about this story, was that over 20 bystanders at the crime scene were taunting the remaining, grieving, officers. Oakland, like many cities across the country, has suffered strained race relations due to officer involved shootings of black suspects. Evidently, the two motorcycle cops had no business running a black man’s plate.

Furthermore, they were completely out of line to stop the car once they learned the driver had an arrest warrant and violent criminal history. How dare they do their jobs! Lovelle Mixon, according to his uncle, was simply misunderstood and depressed over not being able to find a job because of his felon status. Obviously, he was too depressed to appear at his parole meetings as well—he was busy out buying a stolen assault rifle. His uncle said, “His frustration was building up.” Okay, then, let's chalk it up to society's fault and we'll all go home.

To the cowardly and vicious bystanders, it was another day in Oakland. Hey! It was the cops’ fault!—a familiar scenario by now. To add further distaste and insult, the associated press wrote an article on the incident that almost emitted a bit of sympathy for Mixon. They described his marriage to his childhood sweetheart while he was in prison. I don’t know about anyone else, but I really could care less. It was further learned that Mixon's DNA was matched to the brutal rape of 12-year old girl the day before the shootings. Of course, some of the blogs are referring to Mixon as a "hero to further the rights of the repressed African American community." I have friends that are black and I can assure you that none of them are looking at a mass murderer and child rapist as a "hero." It's absolutely disgusting.

My thoughts turned to something else when I saw that, on the front page of AOL, the story had quickly been replaced by the story of a 15-year old Hispanic teen that died after being tasered by several white Michigan police officers. Did I miss something here? Are we getting so paranoid on political correctness and crime that the notion of a black felon murdering four white police officers is entirely too inflammatory? It seems that the all too liberal media is hell bent on demonizing the nation’s peace keepers. Of course, many of our politicians are fueling the flames as well.

I had the nauseating misfortune of turning my television on to, none other than, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, addressing a group of legal and illegal immigrants. She was belching about how the laws needed to be changed so the big-bad police officers couldn’t dare kick in the doors to homes where illegal immigrants slept peacefully in their beds. This, of course, was before she was off to have her 23rd face lift. Then there’s the God-awful Stimulus Bill that allotted only $2 Billion of the massive amount to the nation’s entire police force; not close to being enough. Where police departments across the country are already stretched thin in manpower and equipment, the bill slapped the faces of officers everywhere.

My own sheriff’s department just laid off a quarter of its deputies. Please, explain to them why $2 million is needed for swine odor removal and $200,000 is allotted for getting that tattoo you got when you were drunk in college removed. Of course, as long as we have millions for the ridiculous global warming panic, we should be fine, right? Again, explain that to the 75,000 people that live in unincorporated areas in my county that will have extremely limited police services, if at all. There, the jails are already overcrowded and the city had the dubious honor of the highest crime rate per capita in the nation in the 1990’s. And it’s only getting worse.

The negative coverage of policing by various news outlets isn’t warranted. Drew Peterson doesn’t represent the over half-million men and women that put their lives on the line every day. And, if you feel that is the case with all police officers, your thoughts are out of sheer ignorance. I realize it’s difficult to not get swayed when people like the modern-day-Jane-Fonda, Susan Sarandon, are out protesting cops every chance she gets. President Obama succumbed to the pressure from the FOP when he paraded in front of 25 Columbus (OH) police cadets (the entire force has roughly 3,000) claiming that he “saved their jobs.” However, he didn’t account for the several hundred that were being laid off just a stone’s throw away. I hate to say this without throwing up in my mouth a little, but it was actually Bill Clinton who signed the bill to put over 200,000 new cops on the street. At least I’ll give credit when it’s due, and there hasn’t been a president since that has made the nation’s first responders a priority.

If you were being robbed at gunpoint and feared for your life and the robber turned and fired on the responding police officer—and the robber was ultimately killed, would you care if the robber was black, white, Hispanic, Asian, or other? I think not. I think you’d be damn glad that officer just saved your life. The disastrous economy is taking its toll on crime and the people that fight it. Don’t brush it under the carpet because of race. The liberal media's consistant disrespect towards law enforcement is filtering into our streets and posing even more dangers to our cops. Yes, I'm angry, and I have a right to be.

To the slain officers at Oakland Police, and across the country, rest in peace.


If the disrespect and lack of attention towards the Oakland homicides, the lack of attention to law enforcement by the Obama administration, the numerous layoffs of cops, and the media bias are any indication of what’s to come—we’re in serious trouble.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lots of valid points here, but I can't say the Obama admin is at fault here. Our economy was taking a major down turn long before his three months in office.
It is also not just the economy at fault, but a society that glorifies gangs and gangstas. A society that no longer teaches children common courtesies and respect for those in authority.
This is a horrible crime and as you said, those that mocked the greiving officers and victems families should be ashamed of themselves.
I know police brutality exists. It is bound to. BUT even criminals call the cops first when their "paid for with drug money"
C300 is broken into. Real irony there.

Anonymous said...

Great post Stacey. Good points too TxMichelle.

We spend far too much tax money on things that aren't necessities like NASA, and we are severaly neglecting many of our countries basic needs. A huge problem is that legislators, judges, doctors, etc don't live in the mess that main stream society does. They just create it and let the rest of us deal with it. If they lived in it everyday, they'd do something about it.

Anonymous said...

The good police officers of Oakland should all announce that they will be taking the month of August off as vacation - announce it early, then see if people have an appreciation for what they bring to work each day.

Jan C said...

Bless you, Stacy. For having the courage to say things that most people don't want to hear. I admire your bluntness.

Levi said...

Stacy, do you mind if I join you on your soap box??? The politicians in Washington don't understand what average Americans are going through especially Nancy "stretch" Pelosi who spends her money (which is coming from the tax payers) on all her face lifts. I don't care if people are Democrats or Republicans, we need term limits.

I demand a congressional hearing on getting the money she spent at the plastic surgeon to go right back into the wallets of the tax payers. If we can do it to the CEO's of AIG, we can certainly do it to Mama Pelosi.

And what is so disgusting about the cop killer in Oakland Stacy is that his idiotic family members and other scum bags are PROTESTING and basically saying the dead police officers deserved it.

And another friend of ours Stacy, the first case me and you ever discussed... another cop killing bottom feeder Mumia Abu-Jamal is playing the race card saying the only reason he is on death row is because of racism and this rat even has a book out!

Absolutely disgusting!

Anonymous said...

DeaStacy,

Your observations are 150% ON POINT!

God Bless the Oakland Police Officers taken from their families, a speedy and full recovery for the wounded officer.
Give their families the strength to
get through their grief, and the knowledge these brave men will live forever in memories.

For Mr. Mixon's family, you may know a different side of this "mixed-up and depressed" young man, but unfortunately, the world will remember him for his last act of cowardice, and the price paid by men who "Serve and Protect".

For the young lady (12), who suffered from the most heinous of cowardly crimes, you will survive, and God will helpo you heal.

Stacy, this country needs more voices like YOU.

FleaStiff said...

Well, Oakland is Black and the people there want their Ebonics and other measures of Black Identity and Black Values. For long they have considered the police to be a white army of occupation and repression and have long expressed such thoughts.
Not that there are some recent casualties, you suddenly want the Black Community voices to be silenced or altered in their stance? You want the Black Community to suddenly espouse the values of the White victims? Why should they do that?

Levi said...

FleaStiff, what is "black identity" and "black values" how about "American values" and "American identity"??? Oakland is still in America. And guess what? The bottom feeding scum that are supporting a cop killer do not represent the average African Americans. They represent the race baiting leeches like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who are about as racist, bigoted, and closed minded as anyone can get.

You never cease to amaze me Fleastiff with your comments on these blogs. Is it natural for you to always strike a position on the side of criminals and their supporters?

Anonymous said...

While Stacey has very few good points, it gets deluded with her obvious right wing views.

Jan C said...

Just as many good points are "deluded" by left wing views.

There are always two sides to a coin. Why should only one side be allowed to voice their opinion? It is good to expression both left and right of center viewpoints. Maybe we can all learn something from each other, if we would only open our minds.

Levi said...

Oh, I'm sorry Anonymous, I thought we were living in America, not Nazi Germany. I thought freedom of speech was allowed?

Women in Crime Ink said...

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A Voice of Sanity said...

In writing your post you completely failed to understand the real conditions in these areas.

To the African Americans, the place they live is Tibet. White America is China, the politicians are the Chinese Communist Party and the police are the Chinese military.

Quote:

The Movie They Didn't Want You to See <<== LINK

It seemed so obvious to me, a slam-dunk, a downright compelling true life American story. The story of how the Crips and Bloods -- two of the world's most 'iconic' gangs -- have been allowed to wage a virtual war within one of the richest cities in the world for 4 decades, a war that has taken over 15,000 lives in that time.

Yet I couldn't find any studio or production company interested in financing my documentary. I went door to door, pitching my project to all of the 'right' people in Hollywood. All of them said it was a great idea and needed to be done -- but no one would write a check.

[ ... more ... ]

I came up with a question to pose to potential funders: "If affluent white teenagers in Beverly Hills were forming neighborhood gangs, arming themselves with automatic assault rifles and killing other affluent white teenagers who were also living in upscale neighborhoods and were also arming themselves with AK 47s and shooting to kill, what would the response of our society be? Would society respond or would society ignore it? Would our government respond, if so, how would our government respond?"

Well I finally hit on something because it was this question that I asked a Silicon Valley businessman named Steve Luczo. He thought for a moment and then answered: "Affluent white kids would never be allowed to gang-bang as our society would do whatever means was necessary to make sure a problem of this magnitude was stopped immediately."

[ ... more ... ]

The more time I spent with them in their community the more I began to see a far different America than the America I was raised in. In fact the America I was raised in, average middle class America, has very little resemblance to the America these young men grow up in.

[ ... more ... ]

And through the entire process of making this film, I realized that if we are ever going to break this cycle of violence, we need to find a way to look at these young men with a compassionate frame of mind. Stopping gang violence is going to require that we understand that conditions in these communities are only perpetuating the problem and if those same conditions were suddenly found in affluent white communities perhaps we would look at this problem differently.

[ ... more ... ]

Anonymous said...

Where have you been all this time??? I can't believe I only just now stumbled upon this blog. Fantastic post, you are dead on. I look forward to reading more from you...

Retirement Community Oakland said...

Hi all,

Nice blog! The police murder of an unarmed African American man, and the subsequent lawsuit against the police by his family, are exposing the deep flaws in Oakland's recent police hiring spree. Thanks a lot..........