To answer your specific points-Half-elves are pretty lame, having no culture of their own really. But I suppose the out cast "doesn't fit in anywhere completely" role could be fun, so I will elt em pass.
Half orcs are different because they are orc like, which no one else is like at all, making them more like a proper unique race (the half is jsut there so they aren't pure evil).
I find it weird that Stain's post was described as "anti racist" as the implication of stain's rant is that everyone in a race is the same and to create a subtle variation requires an entire NEW SPECIES!
I want to play a hobbit who likes building things, should I just play a hobbit who is interested in that, even though it is unusual for a hobbit to do so?! Apparantly not, as Stain is arguing that I in fact require an entire new race called gnomes to represent this.
Why not just play a dwarf who is a bit more jolly?!
Or an elf who like going in mines?!
Such minor variations do not warrant an entire new culture.
And the fact you list what rules bonus they get at the end cements why gnomes are crappy.
I don't want a race just for stats! I can invent my own race and pile on any stats I want.
Watch, I can do it right now!
That muddled race I invented before, they get +10 to all stats.
Oooh, well done me!
Anyone can make up any stats they want for anything, there are few things worse in a roleplaying game then picking characters based on what "stats" or "bonus" you can get.
Thats like writing a character for a tv show and picking what he will be like based on trying to make him the most powerful! The only show you can write that way is Dragon Ball z (and for facks sake we don't need another dragon ball z).
Roleplaying rules are meaningless, it is the cultures and interactions that matter. A good race should present a different world view, a different perspective on life.
Dwarves do this, elves do this, gnomes do not.
Gnomes present a world view that seems to only be describable in terms of "its a bit like dwarves but less so, and a bit like hobbits but less so".
They are like Khazon on star trek voyager! A race best described as "a bit like klingons but more crap."
Gnomes serve no function, they attempt to fill a gap that does not exist.
But they let you power game your illusion spells so I guess they must really enhance the roleplaying experience!
"NEXT I AM GOING TO DEMOLISH THE ALIGNMENT SYSTEM!"