The issue is not whether one could "suck it up" and take the
meaningless test if they want a license. No doubt, if someone wanted
to become an licensed amateur they could learn the minimum speed for
code and then never use it again.

The issue is how such requirements are are perceived by and whether
they motivate prospective hams to study for one or more licenses. Like
it or not licensed amateur radio communication and it's sister hobby
SWLing face a lot of competition from other modes of communication and
gathering information about the world that were not there 20 years ago.
And none of those modes require testing and licensing. That
competition is real and the amateur radio hobby needs to recognize that
it no longer has the appeal of being the premier method of long
distance communication. If the hobby doesn't, it will gradually fade
away.