Seeing my friends and acquaintances struggle to explain why we feel so strongly about orcs to people who vehemently disagree, I thought I'd try rephrasing my orcticles’ most important point in language which both sides—since evidently now there are sides—could accept. If you feel the way I do and you can’t get through to someone, perhaps these words will help you.
This, then, is the most important thing I can say about orcs:
If we play a game, and how you or the game talk about orcs reminds me how racists talk about me, memories of racism distract me and I cannot enjoy the game. If you like, call it a me problem, not a you problem. If you want that kinda game, cool—I just won’t join you.
You’ll be better off without me. I’ll be better off without you. Not calling you racist or evil—just stating a preference. But it’s better we discuss this now rather than midway through the game, yeah?
Never mind Tolkien, history, or theory. That's the most important point.
Of course I have other thoughts, explained in the articles, about depicting orcs in a way which tells people who fight racism daily you care more about our experience than consistency or balance.
But if your interlocutor can't or won't respect a creative preference based on an inalienable experience of oppression? Block 'em. They haven’t reached a level of empathy we would expect from most children, and that you’re not getting paid enough to teach.