One of my favorite musical artists is the late, great Warren Zevon. His music featured some of the finest songwriting I have ever heard and was mixed with dark humor and hilarious satire. A line from one of his more popular songs reads:
"Send lawyers, guns, and money, the s*** has hit the fan."
Now, we are all well aware of the situation in West Virginia and a myriad of reactions have peppered this issue with just what course of action, if any, should be taken. To me the outcry over PGM Haas' expulsion is just a scapegoat for the greater problems in American Freemasonry. No offense to my expelled Brother, but his story is only one of the many black eyes currently facing Masonry in this country. Unfortunately, his story has been met with the same response as all of the others: the progressives are quick to condemn his expulsion and the traditional Brothers are glad to say that it is none of our business. This dilemma doubtlessly shows the deep division amongst the ideals of two groups in Masonry. One side prefers to wait out the bad times relying on traditional jurisprudence while the other prefers to take the bull by the horns and fix the problem immediately.
The real issue is: how long can we just stay the course in Masonry before it starts to hurt us? The truth is that the new generation is not content to live with problems like the one in West Virginia, PHA recognition, or the iron fisted tactics of the old guard. I have personally watched excellent young Masons exit lodge never to return because of the conduct of the fraternity. Come on, if you really think about it I'll bet that most of you have watched members of your Grand Lodge or their appointed leaders come in to your lodge and completely disrupt business just because they can. Yet, so many Brethren are truly fooled into thinking Masonry is a democracy and that the average Brother really has a say in Grand Lodge. The truth is that Masonry is an out dated organization based on the word of the insider's club. A system that was once reliable, but is no longer dependable.
It is simply time for Masons to demand what they deserve and that is a Bill of Rights guaranteeing individual liberty and that of the control of the craft truly resides in the hands of its masses. It isn't enough to guarantee rights only in a single jurisdiction, the rights of our Brethren every are our concern, they are our Brethren after all. Our obligations to help one another are not dissolved once we meet a Brother in need from another state. Likewise, our dedication to the rights of our Brethren shouldn't be stopped just because there is some imaginary border separating jurisdictions.
This IS a big deal. We cannot continue to downplay its importance. It isn't an isolated incident, I have personally watched a member of Grand Lodge break his obligation only to have the situation swept under the carpet. I'm sure some of you are aware of issues in your grand lodges. It is not time to wait and see what happens, it is time to stand up and call for change.
"Send lawyers, guns, and money, the s*** has hit the fan."
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Lawyers, Guns, and Money
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3 comments:
The old guard have a limited shelf-life and those who counsel patience are wise. Precipitous actions, after all, are often attended by unforeseen and unlooked- for consequences.
In my humble opinion, West Virginia will sort itself out without the Craft manning the barricades. Things will change because of this
Two of my favorite quotations, which may or may not be relevant here are:
"The future has a way of arriving unannounced." -- George Will
"There's only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self." -- Aldous Huxley
Be of good cheer - brighter days are ahead.
I realized I did not have you listed in my Masonic Blog column. Then I realized noone reads it anyways. ANyhow, I have added you to my list.
My brother;
It is a failing of American Culture to expect any problem to be solved, and spectacularly, in less than an hour, including commercials. Are there a few problems? Yes, one would have to be blind and dumb not to realize that some Grand Lodges have problems.
One would ALSO have to blind to think that the system will fall apart "if something isn't done". I am not related to Pollyanna, but the few who yell the sky is falling are taking a short term view.
Men have always left freemasonry, overwhelmed by it, or finding the demands on their time too high, or having joined for the mercenary reasons they denied in the beginning.
MY freemasonry is awesome. I know its not always the case. My solution, if its not what you want it to be, is to dig in, learn, identify the problems (and if they really are problems), create an action plan to change it, find brothers who agree with you, and then within the system, work to create the changes you want.
No, its not easy, its hard work. Freemasonry has a certain social momentum, but change can and does happen, incrementally and over time. The challenge is, can the brothers who want change wait a time with patience as they create the change, or do they simply want to wave a magic wand and sit back and complain?
Some of the complainers, i am sure you have noticed by now, don't really want change, they want power, and sometimes, just the power that comes from complaining and upsetting everyone, not the substantive, building effort that freemasonry recommends.
Good blog, I have it linked on Beacon of Masonic light, which strangely enough has an article on this very issue.
Instead, Let Us Focus on Freemasonry"
http://beaconofmasoniclight.blogspot.com
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