Your laissez faire approach was tried and it didn't work. For example, the backlash from white customers and suppliers could be enough to make it "not worth it

Your laissez faire approach was tried and it didn't work. For example, the backlash from white customers and suppliers could be enough to make it "not worth it after all". Only when the law made private businesses treat all customers equally regardless of race, could outcomes begin to equalise. Just like we require certain minimum wages and environmental laws, disallowing racist behaviour in businesses is just something that the government can and should impose on commerce.