Was This About Race And If Not...... Why?

I do NOT think it was about race. Folks not familiar with Oakland's history may not be aware that Dellums has been a very hands off Mayor. He was well loved as a congressional representative for decades. He came out of retirement to run for mayor of Oakland. So far he is perceived as an absentee mayor in much of the community. During a rash of restaurant takeover robberies in Oakland and its surrounding communities Dellums was quoted as saying overall crime was down. The citizenry had to explain to him that IPODS stolen from cars was not the same as thugs taking over a restaurant brandishing automatic weapons. I would venture to say letting him speak would have benn more damaging in the community. I believe the families understood just how much the Bay Area community needed this service to mourn the loss of these officers, not just the department and the families themselves. I believe Dellums speaking would have been more divisive, it certainly would have been out of character. I feel for Dellums, coming out of retirement seems to have tarnished the excellent reputation he earned in Congress.