I wanted to add a personal note to our editorial today on the Supreme Court’s decision about promotions at the New Haven Fire Department.

I have great respect for fire fighters. But fire departments’ inability, nationally, to make significant progress in promoting diversity is a major failing. They could do much, much better. The only reasonable conclusion one can draw from their failure to do so is that their leaders are not really interested in this kind of progress.

It is a shame.

I argued when I was on the editorial page at the Dayton Daily News (see video below) that fire departments’ legacy in the community is incomplete and unfulfilled — even crediting all the sacrifice and heriocs — until they open their ranks. I still believe that is true.