Demeaning myself? I don't know demeaning of the word.
To be clear, I'm not saying that you did say that. But I don't really get the impression from what you wrote that alignment would add much, because you basically just said what amounts to "grue are gonna grue."
This is a leap of logic that argues that taking away alignment somehow takes out morality or explorations of good vs. evil in the game, which hasn't been neither substantiated by you nor argued by your opponents, has it? No. It hasn't. Alignment is not present in the One Ring, but it's no less about Good vs. Evil, if not more so, than D&D. It's an utterly absurd argument.
Because NO ONE is arguing in favor of removing alignment to getting rid of "bad guys." NO ONE is advocating for playing "hug your kitten." That is what makes it a strawman argument, Oofta. It's tilting lances at a non-argument made of straw.
I'm not doubting the depth of your games or trying to destroy a game about heroes vs monsters. I'm doubting the utility and necessity of alignment for you to achieve that depth in your games.