027: West Virginia

Listen Now:

Well you'd have to be under a rock not to have heard about the goings on in West Virginia. So many of you have written to me asking for my opinion I thought it best to do a show about it. I spoke to I.M. Hiram, one of WV's Masonic rebels (voice changed to protect his true identity, lest he face a summary Masonic expulsion.)

Short answer: It's a bad situation for everyone. For the Masons of West Virginia, for the management of their Grand Lodge, for Bro. Haas and the others who have been expelled without trial, and for you and me.

You and I? Yes it affects us too. When the New York Times starts reporting on it, the story grows (like an infection) from being a local one to a national one. Thanks to I.M Hiram for his bravery in talking to me on the air. West Virginia, my prayers are with all of you.

Comments

[Gary Peare]

Well, the dog did pee on the pillow, didn't it? Sometimes, life gives us all the metaphors we need. Excellent show, Br. Eric.

[Eric Diamond]

What a way to break the proscenium, eh? I thought I'd edited that out but I guess it snuck back in there. Oh well, I guess it was meant to be.

[Frederic L. Milliken]

So what is your comment on this - from the Charleston Gazette:

"In their court filings, the defendants have asked Haas to identify
the names, e-mail addresses, aliases and/or pen names of all
individuals who contribute or comment on the Masonic Crusade site."

"The interrogatories specifically ask for information on individuals
who post under the names "I.M. Hiram" and "A Mason," and ask Haas to
describe his involvement in "the mass e-mailing campaign of the
individual or individuals" writing as I.M. Hiram."

[Eric Diamond]

I'm sure the Grand Lodge would looooove to know who both I.M Hiram is and the folks behind masonic-crusade.com are.

Haas has nothing to do with either Masonic-Crusade.com nor I.M. Hiram. I've talked to both parties and asked them directly, and I've no reason to doubt their veracity. In fact, I seriously doubt if Haas even knows who these guys are. And if I were him, and I knew who they were, I certainly wouldn't reveal their identity. He would be under obligation to protect the secrets of a Master Mason as inviolate as his own, except for murder and treason. Last I check, nobody in West Virginia has died from this ordeal (except perhaps from embarrassment), nor is this a case of treason.

However, as Haas has nothing to do with either I.M. Hiram or masonic-crusade.com neither party is germane to his lawsuit. I'm no lawyer but I would think Haas is under no obligation to answer such a question.

And really when you get right down to it, who cares who they are? They are just some masons expressing their views. Is that against Grand Lodge code? Have they revealed any secrets of Masonry? Have they violated their obligations? What possible use could the GL have for their names? Unless they wanted to ....

...but no. They wouldn't be THAT callous and slimy, would they?

I noticed in the article that the Prince Hall GM come in on the side of Haas, noting that the GM has no authority to act in "an arbitrary and oppressive manner, and that's exactly what he's done."

For any GL to speak out in support of an expelled mason in another GL takes some stones, gentlemen. Say what you will about those Prince Hall guys, one thing they do not lack is courage.

Take notice of this. Like I said, there are implications here for the whole Craft.

[Frederic L.Milliken]

Thank you Brother Diamond! As a Prince Hall Mason I appreciate that!

I am going to quote you on my blog.

[Rand]

This Haas character is nothing but a smug know it all attempting to force his views on every mason in WV. He also violates a most important landmark by suing the GL of WV. If he does not like the WV lodge, no one forces him to remain a mason there. He would be more than welcome to join a Prince Hall lodge which seems to be his primary desire anyhow.
Good riddance to this troublemaker.

[Eric Diamond]

His attempt to "force" his views on all WV masons seemed to involve bringing legislation to the floor of the Grand Lodge, legislation that passed, as I recall. Hardly the act of a totalitarian, unlike say...summarily expelling a mason without the right of due process?

I think if he had been granted a trial instead of being summarily expelled he might not be suing in the courts. He would certainly have no legal basis to sue. Courts get involved only when private organizations fail to follow their own rules.

At this juncture I believe he is not a Mason in West Virginia. And I think his desire was not to be a Prince Hall Mason, but to simply recognize them and grant amity with them. Your thinly veiled racism is showing, Rand.