Talked with LeeAnn again today at work. Apparently, she had gotten some more complaints and disapproving comments about the D&D program from the religiously minded folks in the community at Homewood's local community fair. Once again, no one but Tai showed up. As much as I'd hate to admit it, I really don't think that the Homewood Library is really the place for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. The people I've met there have been wonderful and kind, but D&D hasn't really had a great track record with God's people over the past few decades. I can assume that the last time any of these folks have heard anything about D&D, it was coming from a pulpit in the mid 80s. I don't think any amount of earnest proselytizing on my part will ever convince them that there isn't something sinister about rolling dice and kicking imaginary monsters in the face.
In a way, I'm kind of glad that the game fell through. The increasing amount of work and reading that graduate school has been heaping on me has honestly felt overwhelming. I don't think I could have kept up school, work and a weekly campaign session without cracking. But the sheer outpouring of support and encouragement that I've received from local Children's and Youth librarians has been astounding. They've inspired me to continue working on the Motherlode campaign, despite my initial misgivings about the first session and tonight, I sent out an email to all of the folks who've encouraged me asking if they would like to like to start up an all-librarians game of Dresden Files.
Yeah, I know it's not D&D, but LeeAnn loves the Dresden Files and she said she'd go halfsies with me on the books. :)
oof! what if you simply changed the name from D&D to something else like Swords & Wizardry, Labyrinth Lord, OSRIC (!?!), C&C, T&T, Mazes & Monsters, etc.? good luck Jamie.
ReplyDeleteMan, hard to believe that we are still running into that stuff. I thought D&D had fully migrated from "evil!" to "uber-geeky," but I guess not.
ReplyDeleteI played D&D during the Satanic panic and our public library wouldn't let us play D&D. But they had no problem with RuneQuest, so we'd play that, safe in the knowledge that the rape-goats and vagina dentata put our souls in less peril than, say, Hobbits.
ReplyDeleteScott wins the prize for best blog comment of the day. I just about snarfed my tea.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, Dresden Files is a cool game as well. Let us know how that one turns out.
You should put up a big sign saying - "Sorry, D&D has been canceled due to complaints - we'll be celebrating the Black Mass instead!"
ReplyDelete