I'm a self professed Chili snob... and IMHO the answer is clear. Chili is meat and hot peppers( along with some other spices)... beans are filler and technically not allowed in real chili. Tomatoes have become a acceptable part of chili as well, but I usually use them sparingly.
I do make chili with beans sometimes... I've even been known to add some small chunks of potato too... However I do see these for what they are... filler and not truly a integral part of Chili itself.
I thought they were fond of pasta in the stuff they call Chili in Cincinnati ? ( I missed that discussion I guess )
I think in another life , I was a Texan - I like my Brisket and Chili the way real Texan's would have them...
( seriously I've spent a lot of time learning about Chili lore and such, it's kind of a passion of mine, but do actually enjoy a wide variety of things that I don't really consider to be the true Chili , but resemble it in some ways. However I've been known to make fun of people who bring chili with beans in it to a 'chili cookoff')