A few days ago, Shane Lacy Hensley, creator of Savage Worlds and owner of Pinnacle Entertainment, posted a statement of admiration on Facebook for the late Charlie Kirk. When this statement provoked a backlash on Facebook and on the current Deadlands: Dark Ages Kickstarter, Hensley issued an apology on Kickstarter (but not on Facebook) stating that he now understands the harm that Kirk caused, but also continuing the disingenuous narrative that Kirk engaged in honest debate.
Happy Monster Press has always stood for social justice and respected diversity. We have generally chosen to let our work stand for itself rather than take explicit political stances. We have never condoned and will never condone violence in any form – including the emotional violence and incitement for which Kirk was notorious. In light of Hensley’s comments, we have chosen not to provide direct financial support to Pinnacle and Hensley, pending a more direct disavowal of both Kirk’s stance and methods. As a result, we have set all of our products on DriveThruRPG to free, so that no commissions will be paid on any future sales. Further, we will be donating an amount equal to double our 2024 and 2025 sales to the ACLU.
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