I thought the big story of the day for me was the fact that my main blog, For the Sake of Science, was inappropriately shut down. As it turns out, there’s even bigger (and far better) news.
There’s another way you can tell [Christopher Maloney’s] a quack. When a student, Michael Hawkins, dared to criticize him, pointing out that “Naturopathic medicine is pure bull” and stating that naturopaths are underqualified and do not deserve the title of “doctor,” Maloney took action to silence him. After all, we can’t have people questioning quacks — that just makes them look even more ridiculous, which could lead to a loss of business.
So Maloney complained to WordPress, where Hawkins blog was located, and got them to shut it down. This does not speak well of craven WordPress; if you’re using WordPress hosting, you might want to reconsider it and move elsewhere. You know, to someplace that respects reality.
Now, given what has transpired so far with WordPress, I’m unfortunately timid. Believe me, once this blog moves to a more suitable location, words of loathing will fly. But until then, I feel horribly restricted. Therefore, it is probably necessary to point out that I am quoting someone. I did not just say those things about Christopher Maloney.
But really. This pinch on my free speech cannot stand for much longer.
Filed under: Science | Tagged: Christopher Maloney, Naturopathy, pz myers |
For the Sake of Science 
Have you considered self hosting? For instance at Godaddy, if you buy a basic hosting package you can install several prepackaged blogs for free… including wordpress. But since it’s not hosted on wordpress.com they can’t touch you.
I’m sure there is a tool out there that would let you import your blog posts from your old blog.
There is a way to import and export all my posts. In fact, one person who uses WordPress tools (but not WordPress itself) has offered hosting. I’m still feeling things out, so I’m not sure where For the Sake of Science will end up.
Temp.
Really, what I want is my original blog back so I can redirect readers who have no idea what is going on right now.
Thanks for the support.
This is asinine, and an ugly move by WordPress.com. I wish I could offer more than moral support, but I agree with Eric: go with self hosting and good riddance to WP. Sorry this happened to you.
Can you post to actual ‘offending’ post somewhere? (Or email it to me?). I’d like to repost it. Streisand effect.
Really glad to see your letter published in the Kennebec Journal! Thanks for writing it, and I wrote them to thank them for publishing it as well.
You’ve been picked up by NeuroLogica Blog as well, which is awesome!
I am always looking for skeptical stories about Maine, and For the Sake of Science has been one of the best sources out there.
Thanks again!
Scott
I have a wordpress blog, and am sad to see the treatment of FTSOS. I don’t have any readership of which to speak, but I’ll pass on the message on my blog. Ripples in a pond and all that. Best of luck to you.
Odd. When I complain to WordPress, they send me a note that they don’t do such editing.
I wonder what’s really up?
Hey Michael, I’m a journalist who wants to write an article about WordPress shutting you down, can you shoot me an email at simon.bloggasm@gmail.com?
Simon – I’m just a blagger. I’d reproduce the piece on my blog, and encourage others to do so too, a lá the ‘Beware the Spinal Trap’ mass posting of Simon Singh’s piece.
Hey, Michael — Maloney wrote to me saying he didn’t do it, it was some guy in South Carolina who is outraged that google searches turn up your criticism of him. Send me an email with his name and url.
I am new to blogging and WordPress and I have to say I find this a little confusing, considering that when I read the ‘tips’ on how to write an interesting blog, which I believe were published by WordPress, one of the things that was suggested was to ‘have a passionate voice and be controversial’.
Science is not controversial, only the spineless ones who would interfere with its progress.
Check the bloggers rights on @EFF Electronic Freedom Foundation. They often take on cases of censorship of free speech. http://bit.ly/7flnAy
See also protections for internet providers Section 230 Protections http://bit.ly/aNJMuZ . I am not sure of the interpretation of the law, but I think that because the WordPress provider asked for an edit of the information, that this may mean that they are NOW open to claims of libel for the content.