You could also say that DEI is easier to defend when human work was more valuable and capital was cheaper.
Since the only god our corporatations worship goes by power and money, they all started tripping over themselves to kiss the ring.
But IMHO DEI answers the wrong question.
Worthwhile lives does not come from equal access to the hamster wheel.
I am much more pro UBI structures og negative taxation - which are inherently difficult to make descriminatory as there is no personal judgement of the people to receive it.
(Showing up to one, or writing a check to one, is as far as I or anyone else on this planet is aware, is not in violation of any law, as much as MAGA would like it to be.)
There's no need to whitewash or come up with excuses for their cowardice.