Like millions of Americans I watched in horror last week as the institutions of our nation were attacked. The United State's Capitol was stormed by a mob, and while receiving much less attention, the fence surrounding our own Governor's home was broken down.

As Freemasons, as members of the greatest Peace Society this world has ever known, we must stand against this. This post stands against this.

I know that at least half of the people who read these words will be from the political right. In this day and age, far too many of us disregard anything said by anyone on the other side.

Before those of you on the right dismiss this post out of hand, please allow me to remind you that I also stood, in a public way, against the political left's riots that shook our nation this past summer. If desired, that post can be read at: The Unsparing Ravages Of Barbarous Force.

I agree with the famous words of Senator Barry Goldwater:

“Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice.”

What we are seeing in the political landscape of 2020, and now 2021 is not extremism in the way Senator Goldwater used the word, rather it is hate.

The active political left, in large numbers, actually now hates those who disagree with their positions. Likewise, the active political right, in equally large numbers, actually now hates those who disagree with their positions.

This hatred is on full display, each and every day, all across social media platforms.

Unfortunately, far too many men who claim to be Freemasons have embraced this hatred of their fellow man.

I hear, each and every day, about some new political fight between those who are supposed to be Brothers breaking out on Facebook. I'm sorry to have to say it, but this nonsense is completely un-masonic, as pointed out in our own ritual:

“Among whom no contention should ever exist but that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who best can work and best agree.”

Not to mention the fact that it destroys any hope our Ancient Fraternity has of communicating our true principals to the public at large.

Consider our ritual:

“Where were you first made a Mason?”

If you are a member of our Fraternity, then you know the answer to that question. If you know the answer to that question, then you also know that you can not hate your Brother on social media, and have truly become a Freemason. The profound lessons of our institution clearly didn't make the impression that they should have.

Let us be clear.

Each of us has an absolute right to hold whatever political beliefs we want to hold.

Each of us equally have an absolute right to express these political beliefs as we desire to express them, provided that in doing so we don't trample upon the rights of others.

These rights are granted, not by man, or government, but by God himself.

That is indeed the very founding principal of the United States.

God did not however grant us the right to hate those who disagree with our political beliefs, especially for no other reason than that disagreement.

As Freemasons in this time of political hatred, we would do well to consider the lessons of those Masons who were enemies during our Civil War, yet took the opportunity to assist each other when needed most.

As I close, I would just like to remind all of the Freemasons of this great Jurisdiction that Civility, Civil Society, and Civil Discourse are sacred principals to our Gentle Craft.

“We are now about to quit this sacred retreat of friendship and virtue, to mingle again with the outer world. Amid its concerns and employments forget not the duties which you have heard so frequently inculcated and so forcefully recommended in this Lodge.”

#CivilSociety #CivilDebate #SocialMedia

-Cameron

Cameron M. Bailey Past Grand Master The MW Grand Lodge F&AM of Washington

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From time to time I run across complaints from Freemasons about the fact that many Grand Lodges have implemented Social Media Policies. It seems that the concerns usually revolve around some kind of belief that the Grand Lodges are trying to limit the freedoms of their members to publish whatever on earth they want to publish.

It seems to me that is an invalid argument. Every Freemason, of his own free will and accord, took certain obligations upon himself to act in a certain manner. These policies simply serve to remind a Brother of what he agreed to do.

To be clear, no Mason has a right to behave in such a way as to bring disrepute to the Fraternity.

Related to that, even more often, I run across complaints from Freemasons about what they see some of their Brothers posting to Social Media.

For whatever reason, but most likely because of the game like features designed into Social Media platforms, it seems that in the political sphere at least these platforms are filled with little to nothing but polarizing hate and discontent.

It is sad, and deeply troubling, to see men who are clearly Masons posting things that they know will be hurtful to others. It is even more troubling when it is obvious from the context of their pages that they are doing so on purpose.

Alas, policies from Grand Lodges will never be effective in addressing this issue, no matter how positive the intention behind them might be.

Instead, we must all work to change the hearts of the men who call themselves Masons.

As our ritual reminds us:

“You have been enjoined to remind a Brother in the most friendly manner of his fault, to endeavor to aid his reformation...”

Additionally we all need to remember that our words will live on long after we are dead and gone.

We should ask ourselves if we will be remembered for the good things we did in the world, or for the hateful things we published online.

We are Freemasons. Our Fraternity has accomplished truly amazing and world changing things throughout our long history. Things that have benefited the lives of countless millions of people.

We should ask ourselves, do we want to be remembered for that? Or do we want to be remembered for the fact that we frequently called one political leader or another an idiot online?

Our Shrine Hospitals are a perfect example. Do we want to be remembered for all the children who are helped every year, or do we want to be remembered by the fact that we consistently used profanity when referring to President Obama, or President Trump?

I suggest that the former is much better than the later.

I further suggest that posting hateful things about public figures will do nothing whatsoever to harm that public figure, or to sway public opinion one little tick.

By posting hateful things, we harm only ourselves, and we have zero chance of changing anyone's mind.

What can change hearts and minds is reasoned argument. For all of its myriad of faults, Social Media does allow an amplification of our individual voice. If we use that tool properly, if we make reasoned argument instead of stupid attacks, well, then we can have a positive influence on those around us.

If we are wise, we will ask ourselves, before we post, if the post we are contemplating is something that will reflect well upon us and what we represent. We should remember that long after we are gone, we will still be judged by what we wrote.

“These generous principals extend further, for every human being has a claim upon your kind offices. Do good unto all.”

As Freemasons in Washington we have all heard the above quote far too many times to forget it.

#SocialMedia #Obligations #ClosingCharge

-Cameron

Cameron M. Bailey Past Grand Master The MW Grand Lodge F&AM of Washington

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