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Lovelle Mixon's Funeral - March 31, 2009
I'm forwarding this account of this event because there has been virtually NO media coverage of Lovelle Mixon's Funeral and community response in general... (for pix of the march on March 25 in memory of Lovelle, see http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2009/03/25/18582590.php)
Funeral for Lovel Mixon - Monday, March 31, 2009
I left my job in downtown Oakland and arrived at the funeral home on International near High St. a little after 11:30 am. There was standing room only and I would estimate that there were about 400 people paying their last respects, as the seating capacity was posted as 303.
The mood was not as somber as I was expecting although the casket was open the whole time I was there during the services. According to the obituary, which was a very nicely done full size, full color program, Lovell was one of 12 children by both his father and mother. Little did we know that he was a certified plumber and had worked as a custodian. He was married to his "puppy love" sweetheart and was a father. All the loving sentiments that only family can speak on were in the obituary.
There were many ministers who spoke and even many more clergy who were in attendance and were asked at one point to stand to be recognized. Min. Keith Muhammad was the first of many to speak and spoke on the psalms of David and brought up that Lovell Mixon did walk through the valley of death in these streets, but he feared no evil.
All the ministers had kind and loving words to offer the family, a couple spoke kindly about the police and that did not sit too well with some people in attendance, including a very well dressed middle age man standing behind me who could not believe it when a minister said we should call the police when we need them.
One minister even said that God used Lovell Mixon to bring us all together.
Many of the ministers were trying to reach out to young people by offering them counseling and other support services. One minister who also worked for the city of Oakland with recovery and re-entry type services spoke to the people in a real hip kind of way that people could tell was genuine.
Another minister asked everyone to hug the person next to them and tell them "I love you," which everyone did and that truly lightened the mood and he reminded folks that you can’t just say things to people you have to touch them. He also asked all the saved women to go up and give Lovell’s wife a kiss and tell her you love her and give her support.
Around 12:30 I had to leave and go back to work. I did observe that there were no police (visibly) around and no TV news trucks or vans. There may have been one print media person there who was very low key.
Before attending the funeral, I learned that the street memorials for the cops as well as for Mixon had been removed. The one for the cops had supposedly been burned. So I decided to do a little investigation of my own and drove over to MacArthur Blvd. I did not see the memorial for the cops. When I drove down 74th to see the memorial in front of the apartment where the final shoot out occurred, parked on the left was an unmarked police car, on the right side of the street directly in front of the apartment building, a green "Crime Investigation Unit" van was parked and posted up in the front doorway of the apartment building was a big uniformed cop. I did not notice the memorial to Lovell, however, since there was such a big police presence my "investigation" was cut short and so I ‘m not absolutely sure that the handwriting on the wall was there still. And I mean that literally, but you can take it figuratively if you want.
by Sista T
I left my job in downtown Oakland and arrived at the funeral home on International near High St. a little after 11:30 am. There was standing room only and I would estimate that there were about 400 people paying their last respects, as the seating capacity was posted as 303.
The mood was not as somber as I was expecting although the casket was open the whole time I was there during the services. According to the obituary, which was a very nicely done full size, full color program, Lovell was one of 12 children by both his father and mother. Little did we know that he was a certified plumber and had worked as a custodian. He was married to his "puppy love" sweetheart and was a father. All the loving sentiments that only family can speak on were in the obituary.
There were many ministers who spoke and even many more clergy who were in attendance and were asked at one point to stand to be recognized. Min. Keith Muhammad was the first of many to speak and spoke on the psalms of David and brought up that Lovell Mixon did walk through the valley of death in these streets, but he feared no evil.
All the ministers had kind and loving words to offer the family, a couple spoke kindly about the police and that did not sit too well with some people in attendance, including a very well dressed middle age man standing behind me who could not believe it when a minister said we should call the police when we need them.
One minister even said that God used Lovell Mixon to bring us all together.
Many of the ministers were trying to reach out to young people by offering them counseling and other support services. One minister who also worked for the city of Oakland with recovery and re-entry type services spoke to the people in a real hip kind of way that people could tell was genuine.
Another minister asked everyone to hug the person next to them and tell them "I love you," which everyone did and that truly lightened the mood and he reminded folks that you can’t just say things to people you have to touch them. He also asked all the saved women to go up and give Lovell’s wife a kiss and tell her you love her and give her support.
Around 12:30 I had to leave and go back to work. I did observe that there were no police (visibly) around and no TV news trucks or vans. There may have been one print media person there who was very low key.
Before attending the funeral, I learned that the street memorials for the cops as well as for Mixon had been removed. The one for the cops had supposedly been burned. So I decided to do a little investigation of my own and drove over to MacArthur Blvd. I did not see the memorial for the cops. When I drove down 74th to see the memorial in front of the apartment where the final shoot out occurred, parked on the left was an unmarked police car, on the right side of the street directly in front of the apartment building, a green "Crime Investigation Unit" van was parked and posted up in the front doorway of the apartment building was a big uniformed cop. I did not notice the memorial to Lovell, however, since there was such a big police presence my "investigation" was cut short and so I ‘m not absolutely sure that the handwriting on the wall was there still. And I mean that literally, but you can take it figuratively if you want.
by Sista T
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Thanks for providing an alternative to the police state's aggressive propaganda campaign.
The SJ Mercury posted this AP story at http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12042177:
[start state propaganda]
Hundreds of mourners gathered at an Oakland church to remember the 26-year-old parolee who was killed after a shootout that left four police officers dead.
Lovelle Mixon was remembered Tuesday by friends and family members as an animated storyteller, who loved sports, and had a big smile. Speakers did not directly address the shootout that led to the death of Mixon and the officers.
Authorities say Mixon shot two motorcycle police officers after a routine traffic stop in Oakland on March 21. He was killed later that day in a shootout at his sister's apartment that led to the deaths of two other officers.
More than 20,000 people attended last week's funeral for Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40; John Hege, 41; Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43; and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35.
[end state propaganda]
Of the 129 words, only 64 report on Lovelle Mixon's funeral: less than half, just the first 3 sentences. The remaining 3 sentences return to the nauseam du jour.
That's what passes for objective journalism in a police state.
The SJ Mercury posted this AP story at http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_12042177:
[start state propaganda]
Hundreds of mourners gathered at an Oakland church to remember the 26-year-old parolee who was killed after a shootout that left four police officers dead.
Lovelle Mixon was remembered Tuesday by friends and family members as an animated storyteller, who loved sports, and had a big smile. Speakers did not directly address the shootout that led to the death of Mixon and the officers.
Authorities say Mixon shot two motorcycle police officers after a routine traffic stop in Oakland on March 21. He was killed later that day in a shootout at his sister's apartment that led to the deaths of two other officers.
More than 20,000 people attended last week's funeral for Sgt. Mark Dunakin, 40; John Hege, 41; Sgt. Ervin Romans, 43; and Sgt. Daniel Sakai, 35.
[end state propaganda]
Of the 129 words, only 64 report on Lovelle Mixon's funeral: less than half, just the first 3 sentences. The remaining 3 sentences return to the nauseam du jour.
That's what passes for objective journalism in a police state.
Thank you Sista T for your account of Mr. Mixon's services. I think people forget that he had a family and they will miss him greatly. Unfortunately, so many are focused on the actions that cut his life short---and rightfully so---but he is still someone's son, brother, father and husband. I pray that the family will have peace in the days ahead as they try to reconcile what has happened. This is a tragedy all around.
I am saddened that the media (and some in the community) have shunned the family. The family is not totally responsible for his actions. From all accounts, they seem just as shocked as anyone. I am deeply saddened for them. I can't imagine what they must be going through, and it seems that they are getting very little support from the community at large.
God bless you Sista T.
I am saddened that the media (and some in the community) have shunned the family. The family is not totally responsible for his actions. From all accounts, they seem just as shocked as anyone. I am deeply saddened for them. I can't imagine what they must be going through, and it seems that they are getting very little support from the community at large.
God bless you Sista T.
can't confirm the part about the cops' memorial getting burned, but i wouldn't be surprised.
on saturday morning, i walked by Vell's memorial, and someone had spray painted (in red) over his pictures the previous evening, and a pic of tupac also was also painted red.
this was the same evening that thousands of cops from all over the country were staying in the east bay after attending that HUGE tax-payer financed photo op at Oracle. coincidence?
i figured that someone would retalliate against the cops' two memorials on McArthur, and someone probably did since all the memorials were gone by sunday afternoon.
on saturday morning, i walked by Vell's memorial, and someone had spray painted (in red) over his pictures the previous evening, and a pic of tupac also was also painted red.
this was the same evening that thousands of cops from all over the country were staying in the east bay after attending that HUGE tax-payer financed photo op at Oracle. coincidence?
i figured that someone would retalliate against the cops' two memorials on McArthur, and someone probably did since all the memorials were gone by sunday afternoon.
Thank you for posting this Sista T, I appreciate it.
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