Advocates of minimum wage have the awkward task of explaining why volunteering is good but unpaid internships are bad.

Unpaid interns, often students, are an island unto themselves. Unlike volunteers, who set their own schedules and enjoy unlimited coffee and appreciation, interns compete for the prestige of working in demanding jobs without pay.

The hot beverage distinction is flimsy, flippant, and undoubtably false.

On hours, volunteers do not enjoy unlimited flexibility and interns none. But it's probably fair to say an internship is a more structured, committed form of volunteerism. To me, the important feature is that both workers can change their hours to zero -- quit -- as soon as a better opportunity comes along.

So why are unpaid internships wrong? Is it because the organization exploits the worker by enjoying the benefits of labor without providing anything in return? Or is it because internships provide valuable experience and connections, but poor workers cannot afford to work without salary?

There is a racial divide between students wealthy enough to participate in internship programs and those who lack the financial reserves to do so.

Got it: unpaid internships provide valuable experience and networking opportunities, and wealthier applicants with more qualifications enjoy an advantage when competing for them. Just like paid jobs.