I agree with your main points, but I don’t think that just because something has been the status quo it doesn’t deserve scrutiny. There are those out there who feel that this is an issue. For them, the best time to explore it is now. At this point it’s futile, but I think it’s important that we re-evaluate our laws and policies when there’s a group asking for it. We just need to make sure the people making the decisions at the end of the day are competent…
Which level(s) will you be playing at? I personally prefer the Barbarian class’s flavor over the Fighter, but depending on level, you’ll get more attacks and ASIs as a Fighter.
Overall, I’d say a Champion Fighter would be more straightforward, but a Berserker Barbarian would be more fun to play.