Widows Son MC belt bbelt buckle

[jvarnell]

I was given a Widows Son MC Belt buckle by a brother from another State (Not Texas) and was wondering what y'all thought about the Texas edict of the Widows Son MC and me wairing that belt buckle. I have been having trouble everysince I was a EA about Mosnic Brotherhood and that edict. When I ride in other states I see patched members of the Widows Son MC. Here in Texas I don't ever see patches for the FMRC.

Should I ware the Widows Son MC belt buckle when I am in Texas?

 

[jvarnell]

I guess I sturded on the title.

 

[Bill Lins]

I wouldn't. Remember the first clause of your MM obligation.

 

[jvarnell]

(Be identified with, the organization known as "Widows Sons Masonic Motorcycle Riders Association" )

QUOTE=Bill_Lins77488;124796]I wouldn't. Remember the first clause of your MM obligation.[/QUOTE]

The clause above is the part that I am splitting hairs with. I am not sure that would identify me as a part of that org. If I ware my duerag that has jack dainels on it am I a part of that org. I would not be bring this up because the friend that gave me that belt buckle keeps asking w hy I don't ware it. Should I give it back and mybe cause a problem with a masonic brother from kansas? This a problem for me. I am not going to belong to this group but a belt buckle that doesn't even have the name on it. Will that identify me with them or is it just a cool belt buckle. This is really bothering me and has been for sometime.

 

[Mike Martin]

Why would you want to be wearing the "colours" of a bike group with which you are not affilliated?

 

[Brother JC]

Tell your friend the truth; you aren't a member of the club, you aren't allowed to become a member, and you rather not risk your standing in lodge by wearing it.
As for your "do-rag," do you drink Jack? That's what people assume when they see it, not that you work there.

 

[dfreybur]

I was given a Widows Son MC Belt buckle by a brother from another State (Not Texas) and was wondering what y'all thought about the Texas edict of the Widows Son MC

I think the vote went against for reasons not related to Masonry. I think the ruling was a load of nonsense.

and me wairing that belt buckle.

I may disagree with some rulings but I'm not disobedient about them. I'd rather work towards reversing a ruling I disagree with than openly defy that ruling. (If the ruling in question motivates me to action. Not all points of principle are worth fighting.)

Isn't there another Masonic riding club that is authorized? A gift exchanged is better than either a gift given or a gift received. I suggest buying two buckles of the Texas authorized club. Wear one and give one to your friend. Then put his gift on your shelf of Masonic memorabilia. Show your friend a picture of your memorabilia shelf with the buckle on it. That way it has a place of honor with you but is not openly worn.

I have glasses from several Table Lodge events over the years on my memorabilia shelf. Same concept during this year.

 

[jvarnell]

Why would you want to be wearing the "colours" of a bike group with which you are not affilliated?

It is not the colors it is a symble any of y'all would ware if it was not put together by the widows son mc. They are excepted by masons of all states except texas.

 

[jvarnell]

Tell your friend the truth; you aren't a member of the club, you aren't allowed to become a member, and you rather not risk your standing in lodge by wearing it.
As for your "do-rag," do you drink Jack? That's what people assume when they see it, not that you work there.

Yes that is what I have been doing for more than a year and all the time thinking how the words in that edict are on the level, plum or square with masonary? It could have just stated this org. Is not reconized by the GLOT and not to sit in a lodge that was opened to do business as masons with them.

 

[jvarnell]

I think the vote went against for reasons not related to Masonry. I think the ruling was a load of nonsense.



I may disagree with some rulings but I'm not disobedient about them. I'd rather work towards reversing a ruling I disagree with than openly defy that ruling. (If the ruling in question motivates me to action. Not all points of principle are worth fighting.)

Isn't there another Masonic riding club that is authorized? A gift exchanged is better than either a gift given or a gift received. I suggest buying two buckles of the Texas authorized club. Wear one and give one to your friend. Then put his gift on your shelf of Masonic memorabilia. Show your friend a picture of your memorabilia shelf with the buckle on it. That way it has a place of honor with you but is not openly worn.

I have glasses from several Table Lodge events over the years on my memorabilia shelf. Same concept during this year.

I belong to the FMRC so I have done that but I want to ware a gift of a freemason brother from Kansas where the ws mc is recognized. I the edict was just worded deferent I could have warn the belt buckle and and abided by it. I see if I need to get it resended and a new edict put in place worded deferent. I don't mind that it is not excepted to belong but I have to chose between a gift I can ware in other states by freemason that sit in lodges there.

 

[Mike Martin]

It is not the colors it is a symble any of y'all would ware if it was not put together by the widows son mc. They are excepted by masons of all states except texas.

I beg to differ that is (at least) the design of the registered patch of the UK Chapter of Widow's Sons Masonic Riders' Association and I would expect that they took it from their parent Chapter in the US.

If you wanted to wear a Masonic buckle there are hundreds out there that are not linked to this particular group.

 

[jvarnell]

I beg to differ that is (at least) the design of the registered patch of the UK Chapter of Widow's Sons Masonic Riders' Association and I would expect that they took it from their parent Chapter in the US.

If you wanted to wear a Masonic buckle there are hundreds out there that are not linked to this particular group.

Aus. Is deferent it is against the law to have a patch at all no mater if it was masonic or not.... NO MOTORCYCLE GROUPS AT ALL..........

 

[jvarnell]

I beg to differ that is (at least) the design of the registered patch of the UK Chapter of Widow's Sons Masonic Riders' Association and I would expect that they took it from their parent Chapter in the US.

If you wanted to wear a Masonic buckle there are hundreds out there that are not linked to this particular group.

I have many other masonic belt buckles but it is not the buckle it is it was givn as a gift from one masonic brother to another and the brotherhood as a whole.

 

[Mike Martin]

Fair enough, seems to be a storm in a T-cup to me.

 

[scribe1384pm]

Get some grey or silver tape and put over "Widows Sons" and wear the buckle. Btw I think the edict is bs. Good looking buckle.


Sent From My Freemasonry Pro App

 

[Companion Joe]

I know just enough about the Widows Sons situation in Texas to fall between ignorant and ill-informed. Would someone please enlighten me? From my perspective, unless the organization is meeting AS Masons (tiled meetings, degree work, etc.), it seems this is a case of a GM overstepping his bounds. What would be the difference in outlawing a fishing club that just happened to be Masons, all of whom were proud and put S&C stickers on their boats? If you aren't purporting to be a Masonic group, rather, just a group of like-minded individuals who all happen to be Masons, I don't see where a GL has such authority. What happens next, does someone get a burr under his saddle and threaten to expel members if they also happen to belong to the Moose or Elks?

I know there are some chapters of the Widows Sons in Tennessee, but none around here. There is another group, Three Degrees MC, which has a link on our GL web site.

 

[eXillmatic]

I know just enough about the Widows Sons situation in Texas to fall between ignorant and ill-informed. Would someone please enlighten me? From my perspective, unless the organization is meeting AS Masons (tiled meetings, degree work, etc.), it seems this is a case of a GM overstepping his bounds. What would be the difference in outlawing a fishing club that just happened to be Masons, all of whom were proud and put S&C stickers on their boats? If you aren't purporting to be a Masonic group, rather, just a group of like-minded individuals who all happen to be Masons, I don't see where a GL has such authority. What happens next, does someone get a burr under his saddle and threaten to expel members if they also happen to belong to the Moose or Elks?

I know there are some chapters of the Widows Sons in Tennessee, but none around here. There is another group, Three Degrees MC, which has a link on our GL web site.

This is indeed a slippery slope, and akin to doing exactly what churches have done to Masonry in the past. A member should be judged on the merit of his own actions, not on the clubs/groups outside of blue lodge he is a member of. Unless it's seen in some way as a clandestine lodge or one promoting acts against the tenets of Freemasonry, I don't see how the GL of Texas can justify this kind of edict.

 

[jvarnell]

I just lost all I typed I will try again.

 

[jvarnell]

I just lost all I typed I will try again.

The problem about the WS started when a disorgnized group petition the GLOT for reconiction. A Florida group has this as there back patch http://www.mastermason.com/lodge58/WidowsSons.htm which the GLOTsaw, but most patches look like this. http://www.widowssonskc.org/index.htm. The GLOT did not like the optics of the Florida and reject the petition and wrote the edict. They could have just rejected the petition I could have wore the belt buckle that a Kansas friend and brother gave me when I was raised a MM. I have not wore that belt buckle for more than a year and a half because of the edict and decided that I wanted to enter into an open discussion about that. In the previous post I showed my vest and were I added my square and compus patch and I will not change that no mater what org's I belong too.

The centerpatch I ware is a family emblem that is on some european tumbstones.

 

[rfuller]

Here's the exact wording of the edict:

Texas Masons are not permitted to belong to, or be identified with, the organization known as “Widows Sons Masonic Motorcycle Riders Association†unless and until such organization is recognized by the Grand Lodge of Texas, and to do so constitutes a Masonic Disciplinary Violation. This Edict is effective immediately. Acts contrary to this edict will result in Masonic Disciplinary action against the violator.

I had to look it up because honestly I glossed over it. I'm not a motorcycle kind of guy.

So, all that being said, here's my 2 cents: If this thread is a simple question of whether or not you should wear it in Texas, then the answer would be "Not right now, under current edicts." If this thread is a debate of the edict, then, from what I've read, it's dumb edict. Given, I wasn't there for the discussion, but if they really did have a problem with it because of a patch in Florida, then I think they made the wrong decision.

I think there are a few places where the grand lodge could stand to look at things with fresh eyes (like outlawing a part of the wages of a Fellowcraft in our lodges, or our waiting for the MWPHGLoTx to make the change for visitation). I think I would add this to the list of things that need to be reconsidered.


I'm sorry you are in this position. I understand that buckle carries a great deal of meaning for you, and I hope you are able to freely wear it one day. To echo what Bro. Freyburger said, I think the best way to go about making that happen is to make a change at the Grand Lodge.