Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.
Then the LORD said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
The LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now you are under a curse and driven from the ground, which opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. When you work the ground, it will no longer yield its crops for you. You will be a restless wanderer on the earth.”
Genesis 4: 8-12 N.I.V.
The Grand Lodge of Georgia has openly documented its policy of racial exclusion of “non-white men”.
In a court filing to the Superior Court of Dekalb county – civil action 09CV7552-8, are documents (attached below) which include the charges brought against the Worshipful Master of Gate City Lodge No. 2.
The charges as filled were quantified as a Violation of the Moral Law.
Specification 1 in this – That said worshipful master xx xx did in fact raise or allow to be raised in and about February 2009 in the lodge that he is the Worshipful Master, a non-white man, xx xx.
Specification 2 – This said worshipful master xx xx did commit overt act or acts against moral laws of Free and Accepted Masons and the moral duties as the Worshipful Master of Gate City lodge no 2 as follows:
- Violation of moral law from word of mouth
- Violation of moral obligation to the ancient landmarks, ancient customs, ancient traditions, ancient usages, constitution, laws and edicts working under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Georgia.
- Violation of moral official obligation was taken at the time of installation of officers.
- Violation of moral obligations of not upholding the charter of Gate City Lodge #2
- Violation of moral obligation of keeping peace and harmony in the craft by allowing the operation of a Cabal in Gate City Lodge #2
- Violation of moral obligation as pursuant to Masonic Code 1-104 without having obtained the sanction of the grand Lodge are hereby declared spurious and clandestine and of no Masonic authority whatsoever.
The Master of gate City Lodge, proclaiming his innocence, was then charged in the following manner.
Violation of the Laws of Masonry
Specification 1 In This: That said Worshipful Master xx xx did in fact embrace a formed Cabal to secretly unite to bring about and overturn with usurpation of the constitution, laws, ancient landmarks, customs and traditions of Free and Accepted Masons working under the jurisdiction of ancient landmarks, customs and traditions of Free & Accepted Masons working under the jurisdiction of the grand Lodge of the state of Georgia, when he was elected Worshipful Master in December 2008.
Specification 2 in this – The worshipful master xx xx knowingly and willfully did in fact allow a raising of a non-white man in February 2009, which has never been done working under the jurisdiction of Grand Lodge of the state of Georgia. According to the old customs of the Grand Lodge of the state of Georgia which has existed continuously since February 21, 1734. After the fact, xx xx did allow parading xx xx to other Masonic Lodges, presenting him as a Master Mason accompanied by a letter dated February 25, 2008 on gate city Lodge#2 letterhead with the typed from xx xx xx, Grand Master.
Specification 3 In this: That the said worshipful Master xx xx did commit act or acts of destroying peace and harmony throughout the craft of Masonry in the state of Georgia.
Specification 4 in this: that said worshipful master xx xx of Gate City Lodge #2 did in fact knowingly and willfully commit this act or acts which is in conflict with the ancient landmarks and Masonic code sections 71-101, 4-101#6, 1-101, 1-201, 1-202, 1-205. Worshipful Master xx xx committed act or acts knowingly and willfully that conflicts with the ancient customs and traditions which are the immemorial usages and fundamentals of the craft which have existed from time immemorial and are unchangeable.
Specification 5 in this: That said worshipful Master xx xx of gate city lodge #2 must be tried by a trial of present and or past masters pursuant to Masonic code 83-401 and when found guilty of this charge of violation of the laws of Masonry as he would be under no less penalty than that established by Masonic code 21.106 and 21.107.
Masonic Law speak, the charges are based on committing act or acts of destroying peace and harmony, but involving the moral law as to the cabal behind the making of an “non-white” man a Mason. The disharmony seems to have stemmed from the “parading” of an African American Georgia Freemason, which is apparently now, a violation of their moral law. Never mind that the brother was made and recognized by the state, and never mind that he was acknowledged in a tiled lodge as such
Some speculation suggests that rather than drop the proceedings, the Grand Master will hold the trial to quell the misconception of racism and set the record straight, but this remains to be seen.
In the mean time, a civil filing by the Worshipful Master turned Plaintiff suggests that the Grand Lodge is in violation of its Non-Profit Status as it is now openly admitting that it discriminates based on race, which is against the public policy of the State. In the filing, it is also points out in several sections where the Grand Lodge is …an enemy of bigotry or intolerance… and also states the the Grand Lodge in leveling the charges is in violation of its contract with the member(s) when facing revocation of charters and membership privileges as members have a value property investment (contract) from their dues. Interesting to point out, the filing also says openly that “Upon information and belief, Plaintiffs show that there are currently in Georgia active, regular Master Masons of at least the following extractions in whole or in part: American Indians, East Indian, Arab/Lebanese/Egyptian, Persian/Iranian, Vietnamese, Chinese, non white Mexican/Hispanic, African-American, and Filipino, in addition to those of white/Caucasian ancestry.” So, now there seems to be a provision of the fraternity being not strictly white, which seems to countermand the white only exclusion.
The long and short of this convoluted tale comes squarely to rest on the odious claim that a “non-white man” can not be a Freemason.
I affirm, that racism is not tolerable, and bigotry, open or otherwise, is not included in our Moral Law. The brothers of Georgia are sorely mistaken in this assertion.
As I AM my brother’s keeper my “…brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground“. To let this go will put the fraternity under a curse that will send us “…driven from the ground”.
If not addressed this open proclamation could destroy the fraternity.
This is not Freemasonry in the 21st Century. This is not tolerable, on a personal level or from a Grand Lodge level, especially our Grand Lodges are an electable body from the craft lodge. Recognition of Georgian Freemasonry must be held in questioned especially if they are so ignorant to hold these ideas to be Moral Laws. If in fact they do then Recognition must be terminated.
We are our brother’s keepers and only have the Great Architect to answer to. How will we respond when he asks us how we addressed this?
More on the Gate City Lodge.
Blake, the challenge comes when those without the racist leanings allow those with them make decisions. Its in those instances that the perception of the events can cast it in a particular light. I agree, not all Georgians are racist, that it quite probably the truest of statements. But from the readings and opinions of the piece, it seemed some believed there to be overtones of racism afoot which marred the situation.
One Tin Soldier – The Legend of Billy Jack
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswm7lHp7oY&feature=related
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Love & Peace on Earth
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Well, I dern’t know about y’all, but there ain’t nothing wrong with white folks wanting to hang around other white folks. Blacks do this all the time, with the Black Caucus, Black Panthers, Black Brootherhood, and whatnot.
Why can’t white folks be allowed to gather and meet with just white folks without folks demonizing them?
I have always wanted to become a freemason but never really felt comfortable approaching any of the Lodge Houses here in Georgia. This case in DeKalb County has served to heighten my apprehension about becoming a member; hope this open secret of bigotry no longer exist and the Mason has done some house cleaning to arrest the situation.
I have subscribe to your blog since 2009 and do enjoy reading your blog post as it is the closes I have ever gotten to learn about real time Freemasonry. Do keep up the good work.
I read with great apprehension as the memories of blatant discrimination that was met out to me by the secretary Of a Lodge in Cobb County GA. I was told that I could not become a member of this Lodge in Cobb County GA Lodge because of my skin tone, when I heard this my knees went out from under me because I could not believe that in this day and age with the most powerful office is being held by an African American President,(is the GLofGA greater that the constitution of the USA?).
I have always wanted to become a member of the Lodge because of my understanding that it is suppose to make a man into a good man and a good man into a better man. It is also my understanding that one must seek before one can become a member and no member can invite anyone until such person seeks. However when one seeks and is told that because of skin tone one is not eligible it takes away the honorific beliefs of what the Lodge states it’s mandate of making a man a better man.
I am now back to the drawing board about the honor of being a mason. What would the advice anyone would like to share with me on this?
I too,brother, have heard, rather been told,that i would have a ‘hard’ time joining a so-called European lodge because of my skin color. Once from a past master on the state level another time from an istalled(officer) mason. Incredible in this day and age, regardless of our president, these men continue a good ‘ol boy network… When quiet as it is kept, there science trickles down from GREAT AFRICANs! They hold the highest body of knowledge known to man, practicing charity, brotherhood ,wisdom yet they know not the true science of the soul, as they purport. So sad to me. Thy are clandestine masons, and ma-son in name not nature. Shame on the fraternity!!!!!!!
Some things dern’t mix good. Black folks can join black fraternities – ain’t nobody stopping them. White folks got a right to associate with whomever they want. Why do you black fellers feel you have to hang around white folks who don’t want you? I reckon if I tried to join the Black Panthers, they’d dispatch a whole heap of hate on me. Africans and Whites just don’t think the same about most anything.
Ricardovitz, I can only hope that you are a troll. Nowhere in my obligations did I hear anything that said “only associate with people of your own skin color,” for if I had, I most certainly would have gotten up, walked out, and never returned. I look forward to the day when I don’t have to apologize to petitioners at my lodge who withdrew their petitions from other lodges for “diversity reasons.” Such actions are unacceptable in Masonry as far as I am concerned and I hope that we will soon remove all vestiges of this stain upon our fraternity.
Ricardovitz, there are organizations you can belong to if you want to hang out with people of your own skin color. Try the KKK, or the Aryan Nations. Freemasonry is not racist organization. It works for the benefit of mankind, and if you happen to see those among us who happen to have more melanin as less than or not human, feel free to black ball yourself. One more thing, stop writing in the manner in which you speak. It only brings out your ignorance, unless you are proud to be an ignorant redneck.