i really do wonder why they didn’t just create their own instance and celebrate the concept of federation? decentralization as a buzzword is so in right now, it really would have helped their case, i think.

I guess maybe they were afraid of all the news that their server would be blocked by so many on the fediverse?

I am glad that they didn't do this, it would have meant a ton of work to block the incoming idiots, they would join other servers as well. I remember gab pushing right-wingers everywhere on the fediverse