The Atlantic Calls Sen. Ed Markey's Intern Posting 'Political Malpractice' and Says DEI Language Can Fuel White Identity Politics
Conor Friedersdorf wrote that the posting, which encouraged BIPOC and LGBTQ+ applicants, hands Republicans an easy fight. A Democratic strategist told Fox it looked like virtue signaling.
A Democratic senator's internship ad drew a rebuke from a liberal-leaning magazine on Friday, Fox News reports.
The post. In an essay headlined "The DEI Language That's Doing More Harm Than Good," The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf pointed to a social media post in which Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., sought interns for his Boston office. It said, "BIPOC, LGBTQ+, working class, veterans, and other underrepresented candidates with Massachusetts ties are encouraged to apply." Critics said online that Markey was openly discriminating against white men.
The pushback. Friedersdorf noted that Christopher Rufo of the Manhattan Institute alleged the posting violated civil rights law and urged the Justice Department to pursue federal charges. Theo Wold, a former Trump Justice Department appointee, wrote that the Democratic Party's goal is to make sure white men "have no opportunities to find gainful employment." Friedersdorf did not go that far. He called Markey's wording "political malpractice" because language that fuels white identity politics "is bad for Americans of all races, no matter how well intentioned." He said Democrats should use rhetoric that commits clearly to equal opportunity.
The numbers. The essay says about a third of young men said in 2019 that men face some discrimination in America. By 2025 the figure was 51%, according to the article.
The Democratic view. Strategist Kaivan Shroff told Fox the post was "exactly the kind of virtue signaling that feeds the outrage cycle without actually doing much for diversity." He said a Senate office should already have ties to colleges and community groups, and that "Democrats keep handing the right these easy cultural fights for almost no substantive benefit."
The contrast. The essay held up Sen. Elizabeth Warren's posting, which calls her office an equal-opportunity employer and encourages "all individuals from all backgrounds" to apply.
Note for readers: Fox says it asked Markey's office for comment and got no reply. The Atlantic piece is a commentary, and no agency has taken action on the posting that we know of. We read Fox's report, not the Atlantic essay.