Not trying to join the argument because I fall somewhere in the middle of your views but I wanted to point out that affirmative action is by definition not equitable.

I don't think affirmative action realistically achieves any concrete social progress, as you say, it benefits those without socioeconomic consideration, so those who are in a better position to take advantage of it do, and I'm not defending it aside from the fact that it's better than doing nothing and favoring the status quo.

The main issue is that we can't provide equal opportunities for people unless they have an equal grounding in the first place. Which is impossible in most societies. So we piss into the wind and do what little we can do i guess.

The thing is affirmative action is hardly the driving force in the division of racial groups. A divide between these groups is going to exist until the side which did wrong makes up for it and acknowledges what was wrong, makes amends and tries to improve instead of constantly complaining about having to do so. If white people continue to defend mass incarceration, poverty and more subtle forms of racism nothing is going to change.

Saying the MLK would condemn BLM and instead be upset about affirmative action is a big indication that we've still got a lot of progress as MLK would've been a lot more upset about other things that are going on.