One week into Covid shelter-in-place, my family were the victims of a swatting incident. 40 officers in full body armor with automatic weapons and five dogs arrived at my house.

County police. City police. CHP and the SWAT team. https://twitter.com/brianschatz/status/1267187603737964544

A helicopter was in the air, and an armored vehicle en route, because I had allegedly murdered my wife and was holding my kids hostage, our home doused with gasoline.

A friend phoned my oldest daughter to ask why police were in front of our house, and like a curious teen she ran out the front door where she was met by officers with shields and weapons drawn, yelling “Juvenile female! Guns down!”

After taking her off the porch, she was instructed to call me. I was working a puzzle with Rach.

“Dad, come outside, the police are here,” her voice trembled.

I rushed outside where I was greeted with a floodlight and guns drawn. I was taken, held, and frisked, in front of God and my neighbors, many of whom (thanks to news circulating on Nextdoor) were now convinced I was a murderer.

When Rachel emerged from the house, it became increasingly clear to the officers involved that this was a hoax.

Still, they fully cleared our home with the dogs, and we were left shaken, our home rummaged through, our closet doors left open.

The officers were professional and curteous, frustrated at the resources expended for a hoax. I have recently learned two men were arrested in connection with the event, a story for another time, maybe never.

My younger daughter cried that night. One thing goes wrong, and she’s left without a father, because the militarized police force does not come to play. But I’m white, and I live a small insular neighborhood.

Black America is not afforded such a luxury. They don’t get a courtesy call. Their door gets kicked down. And people like Breonna Taylor are taken from this world and from their families.

This shit has gotta end. The faux-machismo roll-up like you’re playing Call of Duty bullshit benefits no one but the warmongers who sell the guns and tanks and shields that are supposed to make me feel safe.

My dream of “safety” was shattered the night the militarized police showed up at my home — those sworn to serve and protect turned unwittingly into instruments of terror.

I have no idea what it’s like to be black in America. But I suspect the terror my family experienced for a night is a permanent shadow for the black community. I’m so so sorry for the world we’ve created for black mothers and fathers and sons and daughters in this county.

The images on our feeds this week have been horrific. We MUST elect officials who will make changes and hold people accountable for their actions. We must elect officials willing to do the difficult work of tearing down systemic racism.

If your mayor makes excuses for cops running over protestors, vote him out.

If your governor believes a militarized police force is the best way to serve and protect, vote him out.

And if your president finds delight in stoking fires of racial division, goddammit, vote him out.

America deserves better and its on us to make this happen.