Results 121 to 150 of 360
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2008-11-01, 06:36 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2008
- Location
- Australia
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Huh. I wish I could say I'm shocked, but I can't really. I had a similar experience with another organisation of religious nutters at a fundraising event, only that time the game in question was Magic the Gathering. If you're already wondering how DnD could possibly be perceived as satanic, just try and work out how Magic the Gathering is supposed to be linked to "demon-worship" and "death culture", won't you.
All the letter-writing in the world didn't persuade that group to change their position, and I quite doubt that it'll convince this one. Nevertheless, they deserve every last complaint they are going to get, so I shall be writing a letter to the Crazy Christian Fundies following this, fully expecting to get the same, pathetic stock reply in response.
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2008-11-01, 06:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2005
- Location
- Over there!
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
In order to loose some of my head of steam I went and talked with my University Chaplin about this. I feel it helped. He was somewhat supprised as to the behaviour of a chairty he is aware of on a professional level (and is going to ask the other chaplins to re-consider said charity's priorities in light of this). As a Christian the correct responce is to forgive and to pray that they will understand the folly of what they have done. As a gamer I feel the correct responce is to move on. There are plenty of gamer freindly charites out there and at the end of the day what they choose to/not to take as donations is their choice. If they do, as I susupect, count a large number of the fundemental "7 days and a snake, King James Bible pure" brigade that has caused us greif in the past as donators then sadly this is the sensible choice for them. And for us, tthe sensible choice is to investiage who we donate to.
GNU Terry Pratchett
My DMing advice.
Hong Kong
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2008-11-01, 06:42 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2006
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
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2008-11-01, 06:54 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2007
- Location
- Old Blighty
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Originally Posted by Good CallThanks to Andraste for the Void avatar.
My surviving Exalted homebrew can be found here.
Originally Posted by Mr Bookworm
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2008-11-01, 07:06 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2007
- Location
- France
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Well, I disagree with you. Polite or not, the letters won't change anything. Sending one had only a single purpose as far as I am concerned: making me feel better. If they get thousands, it might also have the purpose of making them realise many people do care about it. But only sheer numbers will do that, not the strength of our arguments.
What we can do is make sure as many people as possible know about it. personnally, I don't really donate to begin with considering both my husband and myself are unemployed, but should I find a nice-paying job that allows me to donate, I'll know to avoid CCF. If we can tell as many people as we can about it, it doesn't matter if they send an e-mail or not. What matters is that they will know to avoid this charity if they're feeling as strongly as we do here.
Ultimately, what really matters is the people helped by the charity, in this case children. Fortunately, other charities help children. If they were the only one, many things would be different. For one thing, it would be important to keep donating to them so the kids can be helped. it could also be important to make them realise their mistake, since any money they refuse could never be used to help children.
But that's fortunately not the case. there are other good charities. So let's just spread the word about them to anyone we know who might be looking for a new place to put their money to good use.
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2008-11-01, 07:20 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money
Edit: I am truly sorry that the gaming community was unable to tribute Gary Gygax by donating to CCF through GenCon.
Last edited by Firestorm65; 2008-11-03 at 06:07 PM.
Name that plane! - a fun way to learn about the special, experimental, and ridiculous things that (try to) fly...
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2008-11-01, 07:48 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Location
- the future
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
I am shocked by this. Absolutely shocked that people are still thinking like this about D&D. It is a game, just a game!
Characters:
Alejandro
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2008-11-01, 07:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Location
- Houston, TX
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
And the letter they have received from me:
SpoilerI have a question, concerning not the accountability of the money you've received, but rather the accountability to the kids you claim to help.
This is in reference to the following attempted donor: http://www.livegameauctions.com/CharityAuction.jsp.
After reading this, I perused your site, and your mission statement, beliefs, and most of the information you provided in your About CCF section. Very noble. Every last bit of it speaks of using responsibility and accountability to assist as many children as can be helped. And yet, you turned down 17,398 ways to help. Tell me, which of the listed tenets of your foundation did this organization violate? How did this organization hinder your mission of helping kids? Did GenCon (and subsequently, Dungeons and Dragons) contribute to malnourished and uncared for children? If not, then why would you refuse to allow someone to support a cause you feel strongly about. GenCon offered you a donation out of the deep-seated respect for your organization held by one of the founding members of Dungeons and Dragons (Gary Gygax, who passed away earlier this year). In tribute to him, and out of respect for the causes he supported, an entire community wanted to honor both him and the cause he supported.
And they were turned away. This isn't like an anti-gambling organization taking money from casinos. It's an organization, too caught up in what they're fighting against, and losing sight what they were fighting FOR. Children. Needy children. That's what it is all about, or at least, that's what it was about, until your organization turned it into a Christianity vs. D&D issue. Is it not acceptable for people of different beliefs to gather together in support of a good cause?
Is the name of the CCF that important that it is worth the suffering of children? In first century Rome, christians had the moral strength to be reviled for their beliefs. They were hated, beaten, and killed, and yet they held to their beliefs. And now? We have an organization too afraid of being disliked to do what they're supposed to do.
Did your moral stand, in any way, detract from Dungeons and Dragons? Did it hurt the players, or the company that makes the game? No. The only victims in your choice were children. The same children in your mission statement, that there are too many of.... starving. How does that coincide with your beliefs.
Even in the bible, the parable of the good samaritan shows that even across beliefs, across nationalities, a man that reaches out and helps his fellow man loves his neighbor. Was that not what we gamers were trying to do?
We will still donate. Of that you can be sure. Your lack of judgement and clarity of purpose have not dulled our will to help others. But, as long as you maintain those backwards views, I can promise you. You will not see a dime of my money. Not even a cent. And I shall attempt to reach as many people as I can, and tell them the same.
When a person receives good news, they tell a friend. When a person receives bad news, they tell 10 friends. This was bad news. I have BCC'd most of my contacts, and am urging them to continue to spread this message, that as long as the CCF is unwilling to take money to help children, they were undeserving of any money they receive.
Respectfully,
<My name went here>
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2008-11-01, 07:59 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2007
- Gender
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2008-11-01, 08:41 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Apr 2007
- Location
- In a flying train.
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
*high-five* for that letter. pure awesome.
Also, just reading over this topic made me think of this comic.Live, Laugh, Learn, Love,
and Look both ways
when you cross the street
Avatar by Dragonrider
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2008-11-01, 08:56 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2006
- Location
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2008-11-01, 08:59 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- May 2008
- Location
- Canberra, Australia
- Gender
Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's *calm down*
So, 5 pages of complaints.
About what?
Because a charity does not want to be associated with D&D.
Who has been harmed? Precisely nobody - the money has simply gone to another charity: suffering people will still benefit, the people who made the donations still know that they have helped others.
Why would the charity do this? Simple - do a websearch on, say, Mother Teresa and see how many rants there are about how 'hypocritical' she was for accepting donations from dubious people and organisations.
Why should people sweating blood trying to help the suffering have to put up with these sort of smears? No reason - so the charity is protecting its members. Good for them.
And no, they're not going to check whether the accusations thrown against D&D are accurate. They're too *busy*. They simply don't have *time* to find out.
And if they did check? Sure, they'd find the 'demonic' charges to be laughable. But what about the savage violence and entrenched racism that OotS pokes fun at? How about Gygax's sexism? Or the early modules such as Keep on the Borderlands where PCs were expected to sell captives as slaves, and slaughter children?
Roleplaying, including D&D, is a lot of fun - and can be a healthy pastime. But D&D has a grubby past: we're in no position to take the moral high ground. Particularly against people who have far better things to do than listen to our complaints.
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2008-11-01, 09:10 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Dec 2006
- Location
- Raleigh NC
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
My response:
Spoiler
Gentlemen,
It has recently come to my attention that CCF has found it necessary to
decline a check from GenCon on the basis of protecting the integrity of its
brand name.
I must express my deep sense of sadness and regret that you chose this
course of action. Gary Gygax, a Christian and a game designer in whose
memory the money was raised, was a man deeply loved by his community.
The roleplaying game he helped to write has been unfairly and unjustly
maligned as a gateway to the occult. But I have worked in outreach
to occultists for 9 years, and I confess I have never met one who used
any roleplaying game as a gateway into it. I have read real grimoires,
and any aspiring occultist who sought the knowledge found in them in D&D
would find that he had spent a lot of time and money for very little gain.
Nonetheless, because of mis-conceptions there has been a great deal of
pain and misunderstanding between the churchgoing community and the
gaming community, especially on those who count themselves members of both.
I am one of those.
Gary Gygax' death -- and the shared love for him in both communities --
represented a golden moment to heal the breech and redress a wrong.
CCF chose not to avail itself of the opportunity. If anything, it has made
the situation worse.
Whatever CCF intended with respect to protecting the integrity of its brand,
the actions CCF has taken have 'heaped burning coals' on the heads of many
in the gaming community, and I daresay it will make it much harder for
non-Christian gamers to consider the gospel or its claims. Its
hard to listen to what we preach when our actions speak so loudly.
Its just one more stumbling block in a road already full of potholes.
Because of this, I personally will be donating my money in future to World
Vision, Mission of Mercy, and related organizations which pursue the same
mission but do not feel it necessary to take such ill-advised actions to
protect their brand. An action, by the way, which rings hollow in the
eyes of many, since no other organization has ever turned down a no-strings-
attached gift raised from the benefit of this group in the thirty year
history of the auction.
I nonetheless wish you success in your mission to bring comfort to the
lost and the hurting of the world, and hope that our next occasion to speak
is under better circumstances.
Respectfully,
Brian P.
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2008-11-01, 09:13 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2004
- Location
- Bensalem, PA
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
For those who think an e-mail to an account set up with an auto-reply is not good enough, here's some more information about the charity and who runs it:
Snail Mail Address
2821 Emerywood Parkway
Richmond VA 23294 USA
The president of the organization is Anne Lynam. The chairman of the Board of Directors is William E. Leahey, Jr.
I would like to strongly urge those who are in the mood to express their opinions to send an actual, physical letter to those individuals via snail mail. A physical letter has a much stronger impact in these sorts of situations, because of the effort involved in sending them. Please be polite in your correspondence. Explain the facts as you understand them, tell them why their views of gamers upsets you and (most importantly) point out that your donation money will be going to other charities in the future.
I also encourage those of you with blogs to make a post about this. Come back and link your blog post here, in order to help raise its Google rank. It would be good for this to show up high on searches for CCF, and for news to get far and wide -- including outside the gamer circle.
*
I was unable to find e-mail addresses for Ms. Lynam and Mr. Leahey (but I also didn't have much time for actual research). The only personal e-mail address I could find was for Ellie Whinnery, the Global Communications Manager. Her e-mail address is [email protected]. It's obviously hard to extrapolate a pattern from one address, but for those inclined to try to e-mail Ms. Lynam and Mr. Leahey, I'd suggest trying [email protected] and [email protected].
*
Finally, if folks are interested in even more charities, I'd be willing to list some of my personal favorites. But, I think between the two Rich mentioned in his news post (Fisher House and Plan USA) and the rest of the ones mentioned here, there's already quite a good list.Last edited by Zherog; 2008-11-01 at 09:14 AM.
John Ling
Frog God Games Lead Pathfinder Developer
Note: unless explicitly stated otherwise, opinions in my posts are my own and not those of Frog God Games.
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2008-11-01, 10:20 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Location
Leave the charity alone.
My two cents. Ok, don't go crazy and start writing them hate mail or anything like that. Maybe even just leave them alone. While I too think it is absurd to not take the money for charity, they have a right to their beliefs just as you or I do. If one of their beliefs is that DnD is evil how could they accept money from the sales of it? It would be like me accepting money from mainly the sales of pornography, or some other area I consider evil. There may be a difference of opinions/viewpoints, but that doesn't mean we have to attack it. They did what they had to do based on their beliefs, just as I'm sure many of you act in accordance with your own beliefs.
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2008-11-01, 10:27 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Sep 2008
Re: Leave the charity alone.
The difference is: Starving children will suffer because they refuse to look past their personal views.
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2008-11-01, 10:27 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- The Steamboat
- Gender
Re: Leave the charity alone.
And in our beliefs, we are respectfully expressing how we disagree with their actions by contacting them. No one is attacking anyone in those letters, we're trying to keep it as civilized as possible.
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2008-11-01, 10:30 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: Leave the charity alone.
Hypothetically, lets say a real Evil Organization was donating money to charity to bring up its PR- say, The Mafia.
Would you say that no matter the source, because people's lives are at stake, they must accept the money?
Now I think they are very wrong to not accept, but only because they are wrong about D&D.
EDIT: the contrasting view was said, I think, by Vespasian, when his advisor told him it was wrong- undignified to use money from taxing toilets to build temples. He held up a coin and said "Does it smell?"Last edited by hamishspence; 2008-11-01 at 10:33 AM.
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2008-11-01, 10:35 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- The Steamboat
- Gender
Re: Leave the charity alone.
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2008-11-01, 10:37 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
how about if each member donated money from their private (ill-gotten) savings?
We all know it was raised cleanly, and the organizers/donators are good people. But others may refuse to believe that.Last edited by hamishspence; 2008-11-01 at 10:38 AM.
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2008-11-01, 10:38 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jan 2007
- Location
- The Steamboat
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
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2008-11-01, 10:41 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
good point. Point I was making is- that if they genuinely believe...what they believe, in their worldview, it makes sense, not that their worldview is right, because in this case it isn't.
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2008-11-01, 10:44 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Mar 2006
- Location
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Let me clarify my post a bit. I just want to make sure no one is going to write offensive, attacking letters/emails. If you want to write a "civilized" one as someone put it, go ahead. Just remember that other people have different opinions than you and thats ok. The money was raised "cleanly" to us, not to them.
Also, starving children are a sad thing, but there are tons of starving children and quite a few starving children charities. If the concern was for starving children then they (Gen Con peoples) should have picked a different charity with that focus. Instead they went with Fisher House Foundation. Nothing wrong with that, just a different charity with a different goal.Last edited by Trinak; 2008-11-01 at 10:46 AM.
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2008-11-01, 10:46 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Feb 2007
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
It was Science Officer Spock who said "I do not approve, I understand, whih is a different thing altogther"
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2008-11-01, 10:51 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2008
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
I received this reply from CCS. Comments follow.
Thank you for writing to Anne Goddard and sharing your concerns. Anne was traveling when she received your email. We discussed your concern and she asked that I respond on her behalf Please know that we take your email very seriously.
There appears to be a misunderstanding which I would like to correct. When Gen Con contacted CCF about its auction, we were pleased to accept donations. However, we couldn’t lend our name for publication because our policies have specific criteria for endorsements. We were unaware that this had caused any problem or concern for Gen Con until we began receiving emails. This decision was in no way intended to be a reflection on Mr. Gygax, gaming enthusiasts or the game Dungeon and Dragons. We have the utmost respect for the gaming community and were touched by the generosity expressed through your auction. We were disappointed that we were not the recipients of the donation but we were pleased that another worthy organization benefited.
We realize this has become a topic of discussion in the gaming community and we hope you will help us by sharing this response.
The needs of children are great and we welcome your support. Should you wish to learn more we invite you to visit our website at www.christianchildrensfund.org.
Again, I thank you for taking the time to voice your concern. Your passion for gaming and your support for children are admirable.
Sincerely,
Cheri Dahl
Vice President, International Communications and Fundraising
For example, a pet charity I'm familiar with stopped allowing itself to be listed as a recipient at most dog shows after a judging scandal at a small regional show that had been heavily advertised as "come support the (pet rescue organization). It didn't mean they opposed dog shows; they just didn't want to take a chance.
This letter seems to indicate that the nature of the convention (or what games were featured) was not a factor in their decision.
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2008-11-01, 11:22 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2008
- Location
- The Great State of Texas
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Here is what I wrote.
When I found out about this action I was appalled. Turning down over $17,000 in money donated in good faith because it might be "tainted" by Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) is reason many people do not take any kind of religion seriously.
I grew up learning and loving the teaching of Jesus Christ. He is my personal Savior and is a guiding light in my life. I think he would be shocked and appalled that your organization turned down money donated in good faith. He taught us to love and accept all of Humanity, not just those that believe the same things you do. Heck, he wasn't even Christian he was Jewish.
I have been playing DnD for well over a decade. I have never once worshiped a devil or have had thoughts of suicide. I played characters that fought evil and tried to make their world a better place. That is exactly what DnD is it is a game of make believe. I don't think any of those characters I created are any more real than any other fictional character. The game teaches you to use your imagination, think outside the box, and getting along with a group of people.
The sensational stories of the 70's and 80's are pure propaganda against DnD, by people that don't understand nor play it. I find it appalling that those close minded attitudes still persist in this day and age. The DnD I have been associated with has always been good triumphing over evil and a happy ending. I don't think that my soul has ever been "tainted" by DnD.
I apologize if your organization is not close minded and is only reacting because of close minded donors. I have seen and been around that type of close minded attitudes in my life. The only way to deal with them is through patience and education. You missed a golden opportunity to teach these types of people a lesson in love and acceptance by bowing to their pressure. You could have shown that people who play so called "tainted" hobbies are just as loving and just as open to helping their fellow man.
I have told all of my family and their responses are similar to mine even though they do not play any form of DnD. I know that one person standing against a wrong doesn't do much. I hope that the many letters and emails that you receive from people that are just as insulted by this as I am will change your mind. If many people stand against a great wrong it will be righted. I hope that this will change your attitude for future donations.
Sincerely,
Texas JediSniper Extraordinaire for Clan Giant (now defunked)
Thanks in order Shades of Gray, LordRod,and rtg0922 for the awesome avatars.They really made my day!Spoiler,,
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2008-11-01, 11:22 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2008
- Location
- USA
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
Letter sent:
I must commend you on your choice to reject the offering from persons involved with role playing. It is surely in the children’s best interest to only benefit from the charity of those your organization feel are worthy to donate. This calls to mind a few scriptures that may apply:
Luke 6:37
Luke 13:34-30
Matthew 7:6
Matthew 25:32-46
Rest assured, I will not bother your organization by offering any monies in the future and I have informed all those I know of your policy as well.
Thank you for writing to Anne Goddard and sharing your concerns. Anne was traveling when she received your email. We discussed your concern and she asked that I respond on her behalf Please know that we take your email very seriously.
There appears to be a misunderstanding which I would like to correct. When Gen Con contacted CCF about its auction, we were pleased to accept donations. However, we couldn’t lend our name for publication because our policies have specific criteria for endorsements. We were unaware that this had caused any problem or concern for Gen Con until we began receiving emails. This decision was in no way intended to be a reflection on Mr. Gygax, gaming enthusiasts or the game Dungeon and Dragons. We have the utmost respect for the gaming community and were touched by the generosity expressed through your auction. We were disappointed that we were not the recipients of the donation but we were pleased that another worthy organization benefited.
We realize this has become a topic of discussion in the gaming community and we hope you will help us by sharing this response.
The needs of children are great and we welcome your support. Should you wish to learn more we invite you to visit our website at www.christianchildrensfund.org.
Again, I thank you for taking the time to voice your concern. Your passion for gaming and your support for children are admirable.
Sincerely,
Cheri Dahl
Vice President, International Communications and FundraisingLast edited by Barroque; 2008-11-01 at 11:27 AM.
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2008-11-01, 11:30 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Jul 2005
- Location
- Over there!
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
I think that Matthew 7:6 does quite neatly sum up my views on this charity actually.
GNU Terry Pratchett
My DMing advice.
Hong Kong
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2008-11-01, 11:39 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Aug 2007
- Location
- Utah
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!
However just like anything, it can be misused for wrong purposes or whatever.
However raising that much money is not a bad thing, it was a good thing, and I'm shocked that they would reject that money simply because they think D&D = Stanic ((it isn't, unless the players make it that way (like most other things in a way), heck, you can make some sort of religion and goody-goody campaign))... I hate falling into stereo types >_<
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2008-11-01, 11:50 AM (ISO 8601)
- Join Date
- Nov 2006
- Location
- Texas
- Gender
Re: Charity Rejects D&D Money - Let's Write Letters!