Damn, this is depressing. But it’s who they are. It’s what they do.
Most CTH readers are likely aware of the term “deplatforming.” Unfortunately, the big tech control mechanism to shut down speech & assembly has now arrived on our doorstep.
One week after the 2020 presidential election, The Conservative Treehouse received the following notification:
…”given the incompatibility between your site’s content and our terms, you need to find a new hosting provider and must migrate the site by Wednesday, December 2nd.
The WordPress company is not explaining the reason for deplatforming because there is no justifiable reason for it. At the same time, they are bold in their position. Perhaps this is the most alarming part; and everyone should pay attention. They don’t care.
Truthful assembly is now the risk. CTH is now too big; with a site reach of 500,000 to a million unique readers each day; and with well over 200,000 subscribers; our assembly is too large, too influential, and presents a risk…we guard the flickering flame.
The ‘content’ is not compatible with WordPress, the world’s largest website and blog hosting service. The content within the largest blog on that global platform is what has become troublesome. “The content”.
The content on these pages is simply an ongoing discussion about freedom with criticism against any political party or entity that diminishes it. Apparently, immediately after the 2020 election, that discussion became problematic. After writing about the COVID-19 agenda,…the notification: the website will be removed.
Let that settle in…friends and adversaries alike. Think very hard about what exactly is being represented by these actions. That’s the bad news.
To anyone out there still telling him or herself that naaah, they won’t come for ME: Yes, they’re coming for you too.
I’ve had a long and happy relationship with the WP platform, in large part thanks to one of WP’s longtime Lead Developers, a fellow old-timey blogger and all-around good dude by the name of Mark Jaquith. Back in the day, anytime I ran into some problem or other with the CF WP install, Mark was the guy I would go screaming to for help, which he always cheerfully provided. Far as I know, he’s no longer affiliated with WordPress, although I haven’t talked to him in years and could be completely wrong about that.
This here hogwallow was originally designed, built, and run not using any blogging software at all—the options for that were pretty thin on the ground back in 2001, and my knowledge of any of them even thinner—but with Adobe GoLive, with which I was already comfortable from my fledgling website design “career.” I stuck with that pain-in-the-ass setup briefly, then switched over to GreyMatter on the advice of the legendary Steven Den Beste. After a year or two on GM, I then moved house once again to the venerable Movable Type platform, which seemed to be the coming thing amongst a lot of OG warbloggers. WP came along soon after; being your basic Mark-1 Mod-0 early adopter type, I jumped aboard, with nary a backward glance since.
Up till now I’ve been more than happy with WordPress, which makes this revolting assault on free speech all the more horrifying to me. I can’t even begin to imagine someone like Mark Jaquith standing still for such blatant totalitarian censorship; I truly hope that I’m right about his not being involved with them anymore. If he is, I suspect he won’t be for much longer.
WP and Hosting Matters make an excellent combination; the folks at HM are all very familiar with the ins and outs of the WordPress architecture, which makes problem-solving and miscellanous tweaking a hassle-free walk in the park. Sadly, I don’t know of any alternative blogging-software platforms out there that are anywhere near as feature-rich, flexible, and just plain solid as WP is. But believe me: after this sad, depressing, and infuriating news, I’m damned sure gonna be looking. Hard.
Mike, there’s a difference between “WordPress” the blogging software and “WordPress” the hosting site. So far as I know, you can continue to use the software for any purpose regardless of political leanings. It’s the WordPress site which is deplatforming wrongthinkers.
Good point, making the distinction. I believe the wordpress software is open source as well and can be run on other hosts. Please correct me if I’m wrong. I’m climbing in the car for a long drive in a minute and don’t have time to refresh my memory.
Re-reading, Mike is on Hosting Matters and should be fine.
I think.
“I think.”
Home again. Found this at Instapundit –
https://pjmedia.com/instapundit/414301/#respond