Shane Lacy Hensley said:

Hey friends! Let's talk about today's Deadlands announcement.

I'm going to try and keep it short, but...we'll see. (Edit: I failed. )

First off, the ultimate decision to ditch the CSA in the Deadlands timeline is mine and mine alone. I created the world, I run the world with the help of some excellent people, and I know where it's heading.

Some may not know my bona fides, so here they are to avoid that discussion. I have a Masters Degree in Political Science and Military History. I've read dozens of books on the Civil War, visited at least a dozen museums, and walked the battlefields from Gettysburg to Franklin, TN and even out here in Arizona (the furthest "battle" of the West fought at Picacho Peak!). I've written historical miniatures rules featuring the ACW, was raised in both Ohio AND Virginia, and studied and modeled numerous battles of the Civil War for various wargames. I'm happy to academically debate what the war was all about. But not here, and not in Deadlands.

So what are my politics and biases? I'm a fiscal conservative, social liberal...though there are LOTS of exceptions and nuances in between, like most everyone else. My main mottos are do unto others as you'd have them do unto you, and live and let live. I served in the US Army, went to Virginia Tech, and now live in the beautiful deserts of Arizona where I can be a little closer to the West I love so much.

Now back to the game stuff.

I made the decision to remove the CSA from Deadlands about two years ago as we were creating Deadlands Dark Ages, and I knew the "Morgana Effect" would be the story reason for this revision and other, lesser continuity issues. The fall of the CSA after the Battle of Washington (1871 in DL lore) is just the thing people are going to get riled about.

I talked over the idea with the core team way back then. They're northerners and southerners and Europeans and Westerners and conservatives and liberals of many backgrounds and perspectives...and we all agreed it was the way to go for a great number of reasons.

I'll tell you why below, but first, we knew there was no business "win" here. The folks who accused of us being Southern apologists for the last twenty years would continue doing so. Those who had defended the existence of the South as a far more complex story decision (and thanks, btw!) would say we sold out, were pandering, and leave.

We knew we would absolutely lose some fans and sales over this decision. So to say we're pandering for sales is incorrect. Again, we're going to *lose* sales. Certainly for a while.

I acknowledge that and am okay with it. I accept the fallout today's announcement will cause and am completely okay with it. Nothing said here will change our opinions or hurt my feelings.

But Deadlands is mine, friends. I get to make those decisions and decide what's in the sandbox.

I *love* the enthusiasm people have for the Weird West. I love what they add to it. I love how they dress up for it at LARPs (and have even taken over entire *towns* for them--check out our Russian partners at Studio101!), play the RPG, get tattoos of Hangin' Judges and Jackalopes, and even get married in Deadlands garb. It's amazing and awesome and humbling.

But it's still mine. And until I die, it will stay that way. I know what it is and where I want it to go.

I also get to see the big picture among communities all over the world. People love Deadlands in Spain and Italy and Russia and Poland and Brazil and Germany and Hungary and China and SO many other places.

So why make the change?

Because first, we don't need it for the grand story we want to tell. When I created the whole thing twenty years ago the existence of the CSA was War's main strategy for sewing chaos and division in the US (War is one of the Reckoners in DL for those who don't know). It was a hook to create the world of Deadlands that was relatively empty then, and certainly unladen with the 25 years of history and dozens of sourcebooks you know now.

Since that decision, the role of ghost rock, the various factions, the Cult of Lost Angels, the Rail Barons, the secret organizations, and all the other wonderful and cool stuff our core team and dozens of freelancers have added to the world since were FAR more interesting and colorful.

But there is a real world "cost" to keeping the CSA, and it's one I don't have to pay...someone else does. And I don't want that. Having characters loyal to the CSA...not just "Southerners" but actual loyalists to the cause, even if anti-slavery but loyal for some reason... can be *incredibly* uncomfortable for others at the table. Especially those of African-American descent. Imagine the GM having to roleplay those voices. That's not fun. That's not what our game's about. It's not what we *want* our game to be about.

I run Deadlands for people *all around the world*. I play with all ethnicities, genders, orientations, cultures, religions, and political outlooks. I've literally run thousands of games for probably about ten thousand people over the last 25 years, and met and talked to FAR more than that in various talks, panels, guest appearances, signings, etc. And I *love* meeting you all. I *love* learning about our similarities AND differences and then having a drink and throwing some dice and shooting zombies with you.

We just want to tell wild tales of the Weird West. Yes, we'll make an occasional statement...I slip my views into everything I write, intentionally or otherwise...who doesn't? But our *main goal* is for people to spend time with friends they'll probably know for *decades* and leave game night feeling like a hero. Hopefully with a big goofy smile on their face as they remember that weird encounter with the jackalope or tumblebleed or the called shot that rolled 34 damage.

***

So what about the story and history of Deadlands? How will Noir and Hell on Earth work? We answered those questions internally a long time ago, and think the post-Morgana Effect stories we're going to tell are FAR cooler and more interesting.

And honestly, I'll tell you a secret. it really doesn't change much even in the Weird West. We just haven't done much with the Civil War or the CSA outside of the "Dead Presidents" adventure or as occasional background.

Everything up to the Battle of Washington stays the same. The Agents and Texas Rangers still fight with each other over the best way to handle the Reckoning. The Great Rail Wars still happen.

We described the USA / CSA a bit more in Back East North and South in Deadlands Classic, but the "north and south" still exist. The South just isn't its own government anymore. Tensions still exist. Loyalists from both sides still skirmish, especially in the border states. Fort 51 and Roswell compete with each other just like the Agents and Rangers. Honestly, it's just not that big a deal.

(The Last War in Hell on Earth gets a little weirder but a LOT more fun and Deadlands-y! )

***

Maybe you'll agree. Maybe you won't. That's okay. We're doing it anyway. We hope you'll join us, of course. Every creator wants to see their works loved and appreciated and our team is no different...but ultimately, and I'll just speak for myself here, I create the worlds I want. I know who I am and what I stand for, and can say the same for our team...even those with vastly different viewpoints. Meet me in person in a casual environment and I might even have a political conversation with you if you seem genuinely interested in a conversation. Just be warned. You might like what I have to say...you might not. But if I say anything, it'll be honest.

And by the way, I expected some to say I was pandering in SWADE with Red and Gabe. Think that if you want, but they're just who I saw in my head the entire time I was writing it. That's what I did and I'm happy with it. I hope you are too, but it's okay if you aren't. That's your business. I know my mind and my heart and I'm sure you know yours.

***

Thanks for reading this long post. We knew this would be a controversial topic, and that's okay. But we aren't going to answer to it anymore. I might point people to this post, I might just delete new threads if the tone is going to derail and poison the community we've ALL worked so hard to build. Fair warning.

If you want to talk about or critique the decision further, feel free to do so elsewhere. Our decision was made long ago and we're moving on. *Nothing* will change that opinion.

Our efforts are focused on making the best game and worlds we know how to make. If they don't fit your tastes, that's okay. We're all lucky to live in a golden age of gaming right now where there are *hundreds* of other choices for you to patronize. I'm *very* happy to see any of my friends at other companies get your business and for *you* to find whatever game / company / system makes YOU and your friends happy. Truly.

Thanks again for reading, friends, whether you like what I had to say or not. We'll see (most of) you on Banshee, where you can find out just what happened to the Reckoners after the Unity adventure. We think it's pretty cool, and hope you think so too!

Oh boy, someone pulled the controversy alarm.

Listen, I figure I may as well get this out here once and for all: I don't like feminism. In fact, I've got a lot of issues with it. I see it in action today, in the news, on the web, and it makes my blood boil. But I'm not an anti-feminist. "WHY?!" some of you may think, considering what I just said.

Good question! Allow me to elaborate.

Once upon a time, I was a feminist. I was taught, as I'm sure most if not all of you have been, that feminism was the movement for equality for everyone--but mainly women. I was taught that it was hard to be a girl, and that in the past it was hard to be a girl, and feminism was the liberator that would set us all free. Through education and kindness, the world would be a better place for all. That sounds awesome. And you know what? Those who taught me that honestly followed that example. They were kind, understanding. They wished to educate others that maybe, just maybe, what they are doing is making some people uncomfortable and to reflect on their actions (something we should all do from time to time, but I digress). They were good people who volunteered, made donations to worthy gender-neutral causes.

From these examples, of course I was a feminist. I wanted to help make the world a fair place with sunshine and rainbows and kittens. I wanted, and still want, to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya" with the world. I saw feminism as the way to do that. For a long time, I just assumed that if you wanted there to be equality, you'd be a feminist. It made sense, right? Feminist = equality = desire for equality = feminist. Except then I got older and my idea of feminism started to warp into something rather disturbing. I saw posters talking about how you shouldn't judge someone by how they dressed, yet to dress THIS way means you are objectifying yourself. But … wait, I thought, that makes no sense, doesn't that mean it DOES matter what you wear? All right, let's try something else: Women are paid 77 cents for the same job a man does! Oh my gosh, that's horri-- wait. The law says equal pay for equal work. There must be a lot of business owners in jail… No, that isn't the case. Wait, what is going on?

You can see the gradual dissection of what I was taught, had experienced, and what was reality. Things got steadily worse as I got more and more confused. You need to hold open doors for women, as it is polite, but you are sexist at the same time. Ladies, you can do whatever you want! But if you're a stay-at-home mom, you are belittling yourself. If you go into the workforce, you will be treated badly by all the nasty men. You should know how to defend yourself. But no one should teach you because that insinuates that if something bad happens to you, it is YOUR fault.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO THEN?!

I had far more questions than answers. Being in university at the time of this cognitive dissonance, I found the solution: education. School was the sacred treasure trove of knowledge, there must be something here that will explain these contradictions. So logically I took women's studies along with my horticulture, expansive psychology courses … genetics … I like learning, okay?

And I did learn. Oh boy, did I ever learn. Plants are amazing, the human mind is a brilliant and ever unique a machine, and feminism is a mess.

I will not downplay the role that the suffragist movement had in establishing women in Canada as persons. I won't ever downplay the fight to give us the right to vote (even though most men couldn't vote, as you had to either serve in the military and own land, but ANYWAYS).

Feminism is somewhat of an offshoot of that original fight, or at least that's the way I and others see it. But from then on, it has been a constant fight not against oppression but against itself. Those guys aren't REAL feminists, says one camp, while they themselves are being accused of being the pretenders by ANOTHER group who claims to be the real feminists. As Karen Straughan so eloquently stated, You gotta own your shit and no one was or is willing to clean up the mess.

I left feminism embarrassed, angry, and disgusted. Twice a week, for fifteen weeks, I was told that I had my rights fought for by feminists and that we were oppressed as women. That we were all racists, that men were horrible, and the government paid a substantial amount more in women's health care because they wanted to control our wombs to create more workers for the state.

The disbelief in my colleagues' eyes, open mouths, and eye-rolling showed that many of them felt the same way I did: what Kool-Aid did we drink for so long, and why do I feel so sick?

Some of them were all for it, of course. When I stood up saying that the government should care about issues that affect everyone, like cancer, one simply said, "Ovarian cancer." I clenched my fist, as my grandmother was a survivor, though another form of cancer took her from us many years later, rest in peace. I held my composure, despite a nerve being struck. I glared and slowly said, "Depression." "Postpartum," she quipped back. I got up and left.

I wrote my paper on how men suffer from sexism and got docked marks for being "too harsh." My facts? Solid. My formatting? Brilliant. But I was harsh.

Yeah. I was learning a lot, all right.

It got worse from there, what with the rise of Tumblr feminists, SJWs, and the expanding extreme political correctness. I was sick of it.

Some have said that I need to look up what "feminism" is in the dictionary when I presented my findings and what they were teaching IN UNIVERSITY of all places. My response was/is simple, and I urge you to try it. Look up "communism." No, I'll save you the brain power. Ahem … Communism: "Advocacy of a classless society in which private ownership has been abolished and the means of production and subsistence belong to the community" (Dictionary.com).

Doesn't that sound nice: everyone shares, no classes, all equal? Why don't you then look at it in practice in Soviet Russia?

What is described in theory does not transcribe to reality. And the reality of modern feminism is pointing fingers at anyone who disagrees with it and calling it names, an angry mob mentality with the sensitivity of a raw, exposed nerve dipped in salt water. Something I want nothing to do with.

And the crazy thing is, that despite all this, despite the recent events of bringing a man to tears over a SHIRT, despite biting the head of anyone who dares question their own attire (BECAUSE WE'RE WOMEN, IT'S DIFFERENT, OBVIOUSLY. IT'S EQUALITY IF WE APPLY IT TO ONE GROUP AND NOT THE OTHER, RIGHT? MATH IS HARD):

I'm not anti-feminist.

The reason? There are still people out there, good people, who truly wish for equality. They see the suicide rates of men and the mental illness and assault men experience and think, "My god, this is wrong, we need to do something about this." They see women forcing other women to endure female genital mutilation in other countries, have girls dragged off the street and horrifically abused because of what they wear and think, "This is abhorrent, we must act." They see both sides of the coin and embrace it, both sides, A = A, Men = Women. Different, but equal, with their own unique problems that need addressing. And they call themselves feminists, despite the modern-day party line being … well, hilarious, frankly. But you know what? If you are fighting the good fight, I don't care what you call yourself. If you are a decent human being, who truly wishes for equality, who is reasonable, who can have a discussion without pointing fingers or hurling baseless accusations just to win an argument (or ad hominems, for those who like the technical jargon), then you are an ally in my eyes. You, and all those who call themselves feminist, are the reason I am not anti-feminist. You are the reason I dislike feminism but not all who use its title. I may not share that name anymore, but we agree in fighting for the same cause: making this world a better place, for everyone, regardless of what shirt you decide to wear to the party.

#AllForEquality

Kelsey J. F.
The resident moderate of the group, Kelsey acts as Badger Air Support, dropping in to write, reply to emails and help out how she can. A non-feminist and equalist, she lends her voice to all in need regardless of who they are. She is a business major in advanced accounting and administration and has studied for several years high level psychology. She is also a massive nerd and loves puppies. When not studying or badgering about, she enjoys writing, gaming, hanging with friends and cooking. She is best waifu. Science has proven this.