If a proper DEI strategy was in place like the one you described (where it was meant to increase the initial pool of candidates) I don’t think most people would have a complaint here.
Thats not what happens in the real world, because the natural next step is to track “progress” which means hires of those candidates based on predetermined goals or quotas. What follows is incentivizing people based on hiring those with that criteria, then punishment of those that don’t. Again, I’m sure this isn’t everywhere, but this is my experience exactly, and I don’t think I’m alone.
I’d revert back to my initial point, which was Charlie’s arguments we’re never we don’t need black people in the workforce because they don’t have brain power. He wasn’t racist, and calling him that is cheap and lazy at best. I bet I would find something similar in what many find to be his most “deplorable” quotes or statements. People hated him because their algorithm and social media circle told them to hate him, not because he was actually a bad person.