Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Exonerated!

After nearly three months on Mailchimp’s blacklist, I have finally been exonerated. Early in July I received notification that my account was being terminated “for violating our Standard Terms of Use and Acceptable Use Policy.” I asked why, but got no response. I appealed the ruling, but again got no reply. Apparently by linking the site of a far right group (which I clearly opposed) in the blog I had tripped an algorithm that flagged my blog as dangerous.  

I had no other recourse than to find another service to send out my blog posts to subscribers. I chose Follow.it, which provides a similar product but at a price. Unless I chose the most expensive option it also added advertisements to the bottom of each blog email, something neither I nor my subscribers liked.

After deciding to pay more to eliminate the annoying ads, I contacted Mailchimp one more time. Yesterday I received a response. They explained that a real human had checked my blog and determined that it was safe. In their words: “After a careful review of the account and the content, we can see that it's ok and we've made an adjustment to help prevent this specific flag from intervening.” I got a follow-up email saying that my account had been reinstated.

I am not sure whether to be happy or not. I was kind-of proud to be declared so notorious that I had been “canceled” by the electronic media culture. I wrote a blog post about it. To be labeled “safe” is not nearly as interesting. I am wondering if a blog by Jesus of Nazareth or the apostle Paul would have been considered safe.

Anyway now I have to choose which service to use and perhaps switch back, which is why I am writing this blog. I think that this post will be sent out by both Follow.it and Mailchimp, hopefully with all my previous settings intact. So do not be alarmed if you get two emails with this same post. You don’t have to do anything. It will not happen again. Also some who unsubscribed from Follow.it may get it from Mailchimp anyway. Sorry about that. You can unsubscribe again.  

Others don’t have to do anything. If I decide to go back to Mailchimp, I will make sure to export every email address from the other service. I am going to take a look at both of them, compare them and go from there. Those who read this on the blog website don’t have to worry about this at all. Hopefully soon everyone will be able to read one “safe” post, until I walk too close to the algorithmic line and get canceled again! (I hope!) What good is playing it safe!

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi Marshall - Jeff Spadafora here. (jeff@theway2life.org www.theway2life.org) I am reaching out to say "Thank You" for putting language to the spiritual and intellectual conundrum I have sensed for a while regarding Christianity and the Christ-consciousness that I've seen and experienced in various sects of Buddhism, Hinduism and, of course, the Tao de Ching. I've come to believe Jesus the man lived the Tao, but Jesus the Christ IS the Tao. (I know I'm on theologically shakey ground stating 2 Jesuses! I'm completely comfortable with the non-dual Truth that Jesus is both 100% man and 100% God.)
Regardless, I have a spiritual director for 17 years and am now entrusted with discipling 55 men and take my responsibility, opportunity, and honor to do so seriously. I continue to pray for enlightenment that equips me to lead people into the Truth and not get trapped in Churchianity, falsehood, or the spirit of religiosity. Your thinking is helping me immensely and I am sincerely grateful. As an aside, I grew up in a little town called Orange in north central Massachusetts located just south of the Vermont, New Hampshire, Mass state lines. As an observer of dialect, I have a hunch you're from southern New Hampshire. While I've haven't lived in New England for almost 40 years, your voice -- accompanied by your content -- brings me great peace. Keep up the great and honest work!

Unknown said...

Marshall, it is indeed a pleasure to meet you by way of your books, blog and YouTube. In January of 2000, I pulled out of corporate Christianity and began the process of questioning everything I believed about my personal self, religion and culture. As a result I now nondual eyes. Did knt know than anyone interpreted the Christian scriptures the same is I did, until I crossed your path. Just want to say thanks for being there. Rick, Chapel Hill, Tn

Unknown said...

Great response. Love jesus x 2! Know what you mean by your explanation. Thanks.