I like the work you're doing for class. I'd love it to be easier to do OO in core Perl. I hope that someday we'll get to rework Class::MOP to use the keyword.
Easier OO in core is exactly why I recommended coring Class::Accessor (which you thought was a dumb suggestion). It's certainly not a complete OO system, but it is a start; one that is mature and widely used. Baby steps, just like the class keyword!
I agree with practically everything you've been saying and doing. I'm sure many others do, but it can be hard to vocalize support other than saying "me too". Please don't be discouraged!