Light Night And Heavy Emails

It was quite clear last night that we are indeed in the darkness of the sweltering summer months as there were only two of us who made it out to the lodge for fellowship. Given the travel that I have been hearing about from various brothers, it was not a complete surprise. Also, and I take responsibility for this one, there isn’t much in the way of communication during this season which leads some to simply forget. In reality, it was nice to have a relaxing evening to catch up with one of my brothers, reflect on our recent efforts, and look forward to the coming months of meetings, events, projects, and objectives.

There are a number of us who remain active throughout the year only taking breaks here and there. Lodge is something that we enjoy and that we want to see thrive during our lives in the lodge so we put forth the effort and do what we can, not just to make good men better but to make good lodges better. However, in my position, I have seen multiple instances (through email, social media, casual conversation, etc.) where brothers think that they are doing what is best for the fraternity but, in fact, they are doing everything to undermine freemasonry in general and our Grand Lodge in particular.

I am not one to name names in this instance, and I am not privy to those names in other instances, so let us simply say that there are many brothers out there that are not holding themselves to the same high moral standards of a mason that they should. They speak about brothers behind their backs and they hide behind fake names and Facebook pages that are, to put it nicely, and despicable disgrace. They seem to forget the traditions, rituals, rules, and standards by which we should hold ourselves and others in this fraternity.

While what is being said bothers me a great deal, it is the fact that they do not stand by their own words by attaching their name to their statements. This is hugely important to me as I hold myself to that basic standard when posting these blogs. If I can’t put my name to it, I don’t write it. Although I haven’t really had anything fall into the latter category. There is a time and place for everything and we all certainly have the right to our own opinion but we should also stand strong in our convictions and opinions. We must also remember the rules by which we live our lives and the moral standards by which we hold ourselves and others. We are here to make good men better, our lodge better, and the fraternity better. It is impossible to do so if we undermine all three as some brothers have chosen to do.

I Was Wrong… This Is The Season That Smells Like Poo!

As the weather gets warmer the interesting season is already in full swing at the television and radio ads are on a constant loop. While not as persistent as they were a couple of years ago or as annoying as they will be in a couple of years, they are still just as bothersome especially in Pennsylvania with a Governor doing his best Mohammad Ali impression. Well, I guess that isn’t a great comparison until the final ballots are counted and the vote comes out in his favor.

Just like the natural season that we find ourselves in at the moment, now is the time when the aroma of bovine feces is at its peak. Yes, that’s right, its primary season. This is the point in the election cycle when facts have no bearing on the race for the nomination as accusations take center stage, voting records are glossed over, and personal histories are manipulated to both entice and repulse the public. It is also a time when the fringe element makes their presence known, her presence in this instance.

It is also the time when partisan lines are clearly drawn and pitches are tailored to the party members that are able to determine their fate (Pennsylvania only allows those registered voters to vote in the primary according to which party they are registered). Leave it to this time of year for the grandiose plans to briefly pop up above the line of the tide and the demands on incumbents to answer questions on policies and decisions that would have been handled differently if said candidate were in office. However, don’t bother using facts or try to demonstrate why the best decision was made, it will be determined wrong no matter the response.

That is the problem throughout the electoral process both locally and nationally. The facts have been lost in the rhetoric and the ability for a voter to come to their own conclusion is deemed radical and, sometimes, racist (this is being seen more and more in recent years to the point that you would think that we were all minority owners in the Clippers). Even what should be hard and definitive numbers are commonly questioned leaving costs to go unchecked in underperforming and financially dangerous policies. Job creation is shouted down and gainful employment is seen as a problem rather than something to be thankful for.

So, take the time to think for a moment and vote for what is right… vote for your rights (even the ones you don’t use at the moment because you never know). Consider the candidates that your friends may see as ‘the enemy’ and determine for yourself if they are really holing you down or whether they believe in the rights of individuals to better themselves. Once you have made your decision get off your butt and vote. And while you’re at it make sure you vote for grandpa even though he died in 1996. After all, no one is going to ask you for a photo ID.