We all have seen years of movies about the critically important historical contributions of people of color and women to science, health, space exploration and education. But our current president, without resistance from elected Republicans, has fired Gen. Charles Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of Naval Operations; and Adm. Linda Lee Fagan, U.S. Coast Guard commandant.

All three had passed numerous tests of competence and leadership to reach those positions, but it is now obvious they lost them because they are not white men. Not only is our government being impulsively decimated despite 250 years of compromise-based decisions for public benefit by our elected representatives, but our fundamental belief in success through hard work and competence is also being insulted.

The firing of inspector generals and the judge advocate general attorneys has made legal review of these decisions much harder and longer. We’ve seen the wholesale pardoning of convicted Jan. 6 defendants, an insult to the concept of law and order. This round of firings presents a wholesale assault on competence. If this is not what you wish to see, make your voice heard.

Larry Cervelli

West Chesterfield