[ShredKazoo]

>... Citing black authors would be much easier if historically black academics were allowed to become academics, write papers, etc. These are forcing functions against prior suck.

Historically blacks weren't allowed to play sports either. When the color barrier fell, they flooded into sports like basketball and baseball. No affirmative action was needed to achieve representation.

When the US supreme court upheld affirmative action decades ago, they stated it was a temporary measure which would probably be rendered unnecessary as time passed. That hasn't happened -- in fact, just the opposite. Affirmative action students tend to major in "culture studies" type disciplines, then get diversity/equity/inclusion type jobs. At those jobs they are basically paid to advocate for further affirmative action in one form or another.

It's not a forcing function against "prior suck" -- the past can't be changed. It's a forcing function to further grow the ideological snowball.