1. United States
2. Mass.
3. Letter

Last night, Trump and Pete Hegseth fired two top military officials—Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Charles "CQ" Brown and Adm. Lisa Franchetti—seemingly for no other reason than one is Black and one is a woman. Both Brown and Franchetti worked incredibly hard to earn their positions, unlike Hegseth, who had his handed to him. Their wrongful dismissal appears to be pure discrimination, which is illegal under U.S. law and was once actively enforced by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). This sets a dangerous precedent for hiring practices across the country, not just in government. It also weakens America’s reputation as a leader in democratic values, including equal opportunity for all—not just white men. I know we all agree, but this must be said: We need to act. I’m ready to stop paying federal taxes in protest because I no longer recognize my country. Taxpayer dollars no longer serve the American people but instead enrich corporations and Trump's inner circle. How can his administration claim to cut waste while spending billions on new Air Force One planes, gutting Medicaid, and prioritizing personal luxuries? This started as a note on discrimination, but I couldn’t help myself. One more thing: Get Musk out. Thanks for fighting for our democracy—I know I can count on you.