Diversity is indeed merit.  Homogeneity is most definitely not and yet that is what you're arguing for.

Merit is a set of values desired in a candidate and as you well know, many of those have nothing to do with one's school grades or what school they went to.  The Old Boys' Club has been deemed 'merit' and continues to be although study after study demonstrates that organizations perform much better with diversity.  

Study after study shows that in blind studies of candidate selection, that those resumes (with the exact same qualifications) with western European male names are overwhelmingly selected over resumes with female names or names that are 'foreign'.  This proves that white male privilege is alive and well and others are dismissed for discriminatory reasons.