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Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His Mason

owls84

Moderator
Premium Member
Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M

That's the charges against me, Brother. Take a look I posted them in the "no holds barred" thread. I was just as shocked as you were.
 

relapse98

Registered User
Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M

Sad. Very Sad. Really Georgia?
 

Raymond Walters

Premium Member
Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M

I didn't spend but 4 years in TX and I don't have a lot of experience in practicing Freemasonry, just a lot of book knowledge. I was raised in Hawaiian Lodge in 2001 and they recognized and had visitation with PHGLoHI. Our lodge was racially mixed, as was the PH lodges on the Island. I want to say it was because of the large military influence and the general multi-culturism of Hawaii, but TX has more members of the military and now is almost just as culturally diverse.

Something about the GLoTX seemed fishy to me, while I lived there. Every Brother I spoke with was great on an individual level, but I have noticed that when men are in groups they do things they wouldn't normally do, because they have anonymity and can hide behind that group. Call them out as an individual and they wouldn't hold the opinion they had just held as a member of a group. Seems like a lot of talking out of both sides of the mouth in TX.

I pray that things change in TX and I have just moved to Colorado and have yet to look at how they do business here. I hope it is more openminded.



LOL! I noticed the same thing you mention in your comment on this topic.

It is what truly bothered me when I was a member of the GLoTx, men would verbally agree with a moral position, but when part of "the group" would acquiesce to "groupthink" so as to remain politically correct.

I often found this type of behavior unacceptable from a Freemason, because as Freemasons, we should not allow worldly behavior to enter the oblong square, should we not? Just a thought...
 

BEDickey

Premium Member
Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M

I believe, due to the very nature and roots of Freemasonry, that this will all come to an end. Sooner rather then later I hope. In my studies, all Degreed/Initiatic institutions are desended from the Galic/Celtic Druids of old, who also had a 3 Degree system. There system had everything to do with Class(as in being upright and moral,sound of mind, ect. ect.), and nothing to do with Race. Their system prevented people with these kinds of prejudice from being in a position of power to cause these atrocities, as I feel they are. I feel as everything moves in cycles that a similar additude will blossom in Freemasonry. Threads like this are just the start of something much bigger on its way, and I myself am excited to see it play out, I just hope it doesnt take the same type of earth shaking event that preceded the Druids. I know here in Maine, our former Mayor is a Freemason, and his black skin doesn't make a bit of difference. Then again he is also a 3rd Degree Blackbelt and no one dares argue with him, lol. All in all he is a great guy. Search John Jenkins Maine for more info. I believe he is a Past Master also but I'm not sure. An interesting aside, Maine is a Freemasonic state in a why, its First Governer, was also its first Grand Master.
 

BEDickey

Premium Member
Re: Georgia Black Mainstream Mason Is Black Balled Again For The Second Time In His M

Did a bit of looking and Maine seems to have Amity or at least strong recognition with PHGL of Mass, our PHA presiding body here. Here is a news article from 2007 of a joint meeting of Maine Freemasons and PHA Masons. A bit of good news, if a bit old.

http://maineweb.net/news3.htm
 
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Brother_Steve

Premium Member
Unfortunately, the moral compass of a masonic lodge is calibrated by the local environment and not a national one. This is not a product of Masonry. This is a product of bad parenting. However, we as a nation fail to see the bigger picture. The Civil War was not that long ago. Look at racism when it comes to Masonry in the United States. It is originating from the exact place where that war was at its worst. Georgia.

Now, I do not know how long it takes for time to heal a society, but that southern society of slavery did exist and that southern society was burnt to the ground by the North both figuratively and literally.

The united states will always be Balkanized to a certain extent. So, unless there is some form cultural invasion in the south, I don't see it going away any time soon which is very sad.

Edited: Necro bump?
 
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Bloke

Premium Member
Unfortunately, the moral compass of a masonic lodge is calibrated by the local environment and not a national one. This is not a product of Masonry. This is a product of bad parenting. However, we as a nation fail to see the bigger picture. The Civil War was not that long ago. Look at racism when it comes to Masonry in the United States. It is originating from the exact place where that war was at its worst. Georgia.

Now, I do not know how long it takes for time to heal a society, but that southern society of slavery did exist and that southern society was burnt to the ground by the North both figuratively and literally.

The united states will always be Balkanized to a certain extent. So, unless there is some form cultural invasion in the south, I don't see it going away any time soon which is very sad.

Edited: Necro bump?

The moral compass of a lodge should not be "calibrated" by "environment" but brotherly love relief, truth, the three theological and four cardinal virtues, the working tools, etc etc etc.

And yep, it's a necro bump.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
The moral compass of a lodge should not be "calibrated" by "environment" but brotherly love relief, truth, the three theological and four cardinal virtues, the working tools, etc etc etc.

And yep, it's a necro bump.
Freemasonry is perfect. People that practice it are not. People are shaped by those that influence them. Namely their elders and parents. They give us the good, the bad and the ugly in life. (whistle)

Ask yourself why many regions of the world are of a specific creed. Is it by choice or is it because that is how they were indoctrinated at a young age? If it was the former, diversity would be the norm. (yes, there are the outliers that counter that normal)

Racism exists on both sides of the isle. Some PHA do not want to commingle with their counterparts. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this straw man argument does not invalidate the original issue at hand. It does however stress the importance that work has to be done on both sides. We have to remember that the race issue is why PHA exists in the first place when you research its history except it wasn't Georgia's fault. If Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth were practiced in Boston in the late 1700's, we'd not be having this discussion.

It is going to take some Masonic Funerals to filter out those who subscribe to the prejudices that their grand parents have passed down and the good ol' boy's club dies out.
 

Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
Hmm. What's it called when we attribute a trait to an entire class, in this case, those of a certain age? Ironically, bigotry is being criticised using bigotry.

Having dealt with this issue, I assure you, it is not restricted to age. I have heard and been subjected to bigotry by a variety of ages.
 

Brother_Steve

Premium Member
Hmm. What's it called when we attribute a trait to an entire class, in this case, those of a certain age? Ironically, bigotry is being criticised using bigotry.

Having dealt with this issue, I assure you, it is not restricted to age. I have heard and been subjected to bigotry by a variety of ages.
It is not bigotry against older people. It is the natural flow of information from an older generation being passed down to younger generations. What information is being passed down to the younger generations in a state that experienced the worst of the civil war?

Racism starts with indoctrination. Who does the indoctrinating? Your kids? No, your parents.

I'm not trying to label a class of people. This "class" of people are the ones shaping young lives.
- parents
- grandparents
- teachers
- elders

Those with experience are the ones we look to in our formative years.
 
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Glen Cook

G A Cook
Site Benefactor
It is not bigotry against older people. It is the natural flow of information from an older generation being passed down to younger generations. What information is being passed down to the younger generations in a state that experienced the worst of the civil war?

Racism starts with indoctrination. Who does the indoctrinating? Your kids? No, your parents.

I'm not trying to label a class of people. This "class" of people are the ones shaping young lives.
- parents
- grandparents
- teachers
- elders

Those with experience are the ones we look to in our formative years.
You forget to add peers as influential, as seen by your allegations regarding the class based on age in your post. As peers teach racism, peers teach other prejudices

You confuse region with age, the original class you labelled as racist.

You now acknowledge that it's not just older people who are racist, with which I agree.

Further, as you argue that the current generation was influenced by its parents, then people your age must die off. Further, as people of your generation are influencing the next generation, the next generation must die off...

I'm of a generation which rejected its parents' beliefs, just as many in the current generation do.
 
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Bobby V

Registered User
As a newly raised MM in 1974, I was shocked to learn that a petition submitted by a Black County Sheriff, Vietnam Vet, and a good friend of many lodge brothers, resulted in a heated debate among brothers as to the legitimacy of the petition (something about being "free-born). There were those that believed he should petition the local Prince Hall Lodge where he "could fraternize with his own kind." As a veteran and a new MM, I was shocked over the racist logic used to block his petition by an organization pledged to the spirit of universal brotherhood. I remember the words of a senior brother about the ease of changing an organization as an insider as opposed to an outsider. The diversity now reflected in the members of this great fraternity gives me hope for the future.

What is the latest news over the fracas initiated by the Grand Lodges of Georgia and Tennessee over their suspension of brothers based on sexual orientation? The GL of California initially suspended recognition of both Grand Lodges inMarch 2016 and reaffirmed it again in October 2016.
 
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