Orcs, Drow, and Diversity

This recent blog post from WotC has rankled some nerves apparently, which I guess is predictable considering where we are at this moment in history, and particularly in the USA. I find this to be an important issue, so I had a couple of thoughts I would share.

• It's still your game at your table. For anyone that is upset by Orcs and Drow being "just as morally and culturally complex as other peoples" I would just remind you that what you do at your table is your business.  If you want them to be purely evil monsters, so be it. Just because of this decision by WotC doesn't mean you are obligated to change how things work in your campaign.  That's one of the joys of the OSR; we make the game our own and continue to play it differently than modern interpretations.
• Diversity and Inclusion are a good thing. When I was a kid, D&D was a nerdy thing to do. We were the outcasts.  The LEAST we can do is to remember that and allow people to feel comfortable and included.  Your own table may not be diverse and inclusive, but at least recognize that the official game should be.  
• Monsters still exist. D&D is a game of fantasy, imagination, and escapism. Part of that is being able to have clearly defined "good guys" and "bad guys".  Not every campaign needs to use that concept, but many of us enjoy that.  I'm sure that WotC will continue to support that, just not with Orcs and Drow. There's 45 years worth of monsters out there that are clearly EVIL that we can continue to use as clear, "kill on site" sort of bad guys.