The article only briefly mentions the other plotline, but I always thought their contrasting viewpoints helped give the episodes depth. Sisko and Bashir (brown men) are immediately viewed as threats to society and taken to the sanctuary district, while Dax (a white woman), is seen as a victim who just needs some help. The tech business CEO who aids her is portrayed as a nice guy too, but clueless as to the true effect of policies he implicitly supported. His world is just too far removed from the homeless of the sanctuary district to comprehend what they are going through.