Leftie Massachusetts Senator Puts Out Call for Interns — but It's Clear Who Needs Not Apply

After what we’ve seen historically, it takes a brave soul indeed to apply for a job as an intern to a Democrat politician.

Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) is putting out the call anyway, and although he doesn’t come right out and say it, it sure sounds like white straight folks should look elsewhere for employment:

I’m hiring motivated and eager interns for the Spring 2027 semester in my Boston office. BIPOC, LGBTQ+, working class, veterans, and other underrepresented candidates with Massachusetts ties are encouraged to apply. Applications are due Monday, November 9th.

— Ed Markey (@SenMarkey) October 13, 2026

If I’m a 20-something-year-old “cisgender” male or female who is not a member of a minority group and not a veteran, and I’m reading that posting, I’m thinking, well, they sure as hell don’t want me. What happened to diversity and inclusion and not discriminating against people because of their skin color, religion, or sexual identity?

It’s not the first time Markey has caused controversy with similar posts. This time, however, it’s getting attention because a commentator for, of all things, the left-leaning Atlantic, is calling out the very white octogenarian senator for creating more problems than he’s solving with his seemingly discriminatory post.

The headline and sub-headline of the article pretty much sum up the author’s point:

The DEI Language That’s Doing More Harm Than Good

Those committed to the fight for equal opportunity in hiring should reconsider the movement’s rhetoric, but not the principle that everyone should get a fair shot.

Those committed to the fight for equal opportunity in hiring should reconsider DEI language but not the principle that everyone should get a fair shot, @conor64 argues: https://t.co/CR6SDiQtHF

— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) October 23, 2026

It’s not every day that I find myself nodding my head to points made in leftist publications, but I can’t argue with these conclusions:

The senator’s call for applications sparked criticism online, with critics suggesting Markey was openly discriminating against White men while attempting to appear inclusive.

The Atlantic essay noted that Manhattan Institute senior fellow Christopher Rufo alleged Markey’s internship posting was an open violation of civil rights law and called on the Justice Department to pursue federal charges.

Former Trump Justice Department appointee Theo Wold also weighed in, writing that the goal of the Democratic Party is to make sure White men "have no opportunities to find gainful employment."

[Atlantic writer] Friedersdorf called the senator’s wording "political malpractice," arguing that language that fuels White identity politics is harmful to Americans of all races, even when the intent is good. He added that Democrats should instead adopt rhetoric that clearly commits to equal opportunity [what a crazy notion!].

The idea of leveling the playing field for people of all backgrounds is one that I can get behind, and America has been working to do just that for decades. The problem with the DEI movement, however, is that their version of that often actually involves tilting the stage and, ironically, openly discriminating against some demographics.

Trump has done an admirable job of fighting back against prejudice, but ancient relics like Ed Markey show there’s still a long way to go.