According to LinkedIn, CNN is advertising the following positions:
Writer, Breaking and Trends, Race
Data and Visuals Editor, Race and Policing
One must grudgingly admire the bluntness, I suppose, in the same spirit that one acknowledges an Alexander Stephens speech. There are money and careers to be made, in America in 2020, in spending all your day thinking about the world in racial terms and encouraging others to do so. The job descriptions give a flavor of what sort of coverage CNN aims to spend money generating, and how it intends to craft narratives:
- “an understanding and passion for the ways in which race, culture and identity show up in our everyday lives”
- “help us elevate the voices of Black, Latino, Hispanic, Asian American, Native American and all races”
- “elevate the writing, framing and storytelling”
- “helping organize and plan with other CNN contributors who cover race, ethnicity and inclusion across multiple teams.”
It is a doleful reality that one must address issues of race in discussing American politics, but I can imagine no worse description of a life well lived or a constructive contribution to the nation’s civic culture than advertising for someone with a “passion for the ways in which race, culture and identity show up in our everyday lives.” That sounds like a nutshell description of the worst people in the history of the nation and the world.