Collateral Damage – The Aftermath of the Arkansas License Plate Scandal
March 28, 2010 by BeeHive
Filed under The Bee Hive
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Wow, he’s going to be executed for a Masonic offence? They have some pretty stiff penalties in Arkansas, don’t they?
While you make a point regarding execution, re-read what was said. It says “for being a human being.” For being human/humane or plainly standing up for the issue at hand, Brother Gordon is looking at being expelled from Masonry.
That is the ULTIMATE in our fraternity because it will bar this 23 year old from ever being involved with any Masonic organization, even in other states or countries.
One might make light of this situation, but the serious implications are ever present in the ongoing situation.
Jaye, I certainly don’t condone the apparent motives of the GL AK. However, the wording in the first paragraph was so dramatic that I couldn’t help but to poke a little fun at it.
But before you take me to task on making light of his situation, consider: would you really want to be a part of a group that condones such behavior? Would you be proud to belong to a group which fails to stop such abuse of power in its leaders?
I would not.
Which brings up the question: Why would Derek, or the other members of Sebastian Lodge, still want to be associated with their GL after this kind of treatment?
Conveniently the GLoAR website is down or Under Construction. If true this is horribly mishandled.
As to Tom’s comment I would tend to agree although if one wants to change an organization they must start from the bottom up and Bro. Derek seemed to be well on his way.
So you bide you time dealing with the faults until you can effect some change. Change which we all know is slow and plodding at best.
I would also wonder what ulterior motives the GM had to proceed the way he did. What sparked this rush to expel a member?
Lastly if true that Bro. Derek is on maneuvers the day of his trial, the GL should if nothing else give the appearance of due process and that service in the military comes before Masonic duty. They should re-schedule the trial. I do hope that is what happens and the Bro gets to speak in his own defense.
If it were me in that situation I would want to have the expulsion overturned. Other Masonic jurisdictions and organizations cannot accept an expelled member by default. Some will be kind enough to heal the brother into their ranks. But does that resolve the true disconnect? It will pit jurisdiction against jurisdiction in determining if the “healed brother” can participate in certain activities.
It would be a nice gesture if Derek would find a way into another branch of Masonry. Others have found other avenues to continue on their path. I have no doubt that open arms would be available at some place.
The deeper point is to shed light on what is going on. If the Arkansas leadership is proceeding then it is definitely the end of his Masonic career. At least he has stuck his neck out to shed light on it though. How many times does this happen to other Masons who just put up with it and go away?
Fairness is the principle that this issue is predicated on IMO.
Sounds almost like what happened to Past GM Haus in West Virginia. Are Charlie Montgomery and Bro. Gordon’s GM friends?
Shame on the GL of AK.
SebastianLodge.com was updated. The Grand Master is refusing to work with that lodge because their website was not entirely removed. Brother Gordon’s letter must have been very threatening!!!
There is an updated link there: http://derekgordon.com/letter-to-masons
So for everyone reading this article, if you want to see the article, it’s available there.
Other Masonic jurisdictions and organizations cannot accept an expelled member by default
I’m not sure that this is completely correct, but I think that you missed the point of my question. Why the heck would anybody want to belong to an organization that treats its members with such disdain? An organization in which one’s fellows can’t even offer any defense? What possible motivation is there for anyone from Sebastian Lodge to remain in the fraternity?
Maybe my question is this: Is our love for the fraternity – as an individual – more important than our desire for an ideal organization?
Dear Tom,
Let’s take that line of thought one step further.
Why would want to belong to a group that would not step in and right a wrong that is taking place within your org? They may not be in whatever state you live in, but it is still part of the masonic family.
if you bllod brother was embarrassing the “Accousti” name, would you not attempt an intervetion, or at least “whisper good counsel” in his ear?
everytime our Illustrious Leaders act small minded and “emotional”, they prove they are not qualified to be a Leader?
the internet is a place where wronged masons, which it seems to be happening more and more now, will publicly speak out about their specific “leaders” do not even up hold basic American Tenets of due process, innocent until proven guilty, freedom of speech and freedom of association.
Have we veered that far from American Principles that American Freemasonry has nothing American about it anymore?
What is happening!
A 23 year old to be summarily expelled without good reason – I can see nothing but anger at the GM. How do you treat anyone like that – particularly one who apparently has such zeal for the fraternity and has done nothing -wrong-.
Here’s to hoping someone whispers good council the GM’s ear or that the trial commission truly does its job.
But who has a Masonic trial where you may not have character witnesses? – sounds like the decision has already been made.
There may be a little too much vitriol in my previous post, but it is extremely infuriating.
Also, http://www.argrandlodge.org/apron.shtml – seems AR only took down the front door. So long as you don’t go to the home page you can still get to everything else.
Dear William –
Let’s take that line of thought one step further.
I don’t think that it’s the same line. I mean, I don’t disagree with the point that you’re making, but we need to remember that in the US, all states are jurisdictions unto themselves, and if each state constantly worried about pressure from other states, nothing positive would ever be accomplished. I’m thinking, for example, PH recognition has been a slow, but steady process precisely because all the other states aren’t sticking their Grand Noses into the business of states that do something novel.
The GL AK is doing something that certainly sounds stupid on this side of the state line, just as GL WV did with MW Haas, and GL GA did with their treatment of the lodge that had black members.
The problem is that the Masonic Leadership needs to get the message from within that such actions are not tolerated. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen because most Masons barely know what’s going on elsewhere in their own district, let alone at the GL. Nothing especially wrong with this, it’s simply human nature. But as more younger (minded) Masons enter the fraternity, I expect that we’ll see more examples of such behavior being broadcast around the internet via the several social networks. Hopefully this will serve as a wakeup call to those leaders who would act as czars.
Unfortunately for Brother Derek, the (hopefully) last vestiges of an hysterical, reactionary, racist, old-guard generation is still holding the reins in Arkansas. All this talk about keeping Masonry relevant to our society, so that our Brotherhood doesn’t go the way of the dodo, doesn’t seem to penetrate the rancid mockery of the Craft that is the Grand Lodge of Arkansas. Brotherly Love? Relief? Truth?
I’m hesitant to speak so of fellow Masons; but of course, once my jurisdiction moved to end Masonic segregation here in NM, Arkansas withdrew from the SW Conference, and I believe they may have withdrawn recognition at that time, as well. Ridiculous. I guess they would consider me not to be a Mason because I’m not a segregationist. Which is funny, as I don’t particularly consider such men to be Masons, because they are.
I can sympathize with the idea of “why would you want to be a Mason there.” But the fact is, Brother Derek does want to be a Mason there, because that is his home. It speaks better of him that he is willing to struggle against the foetid tide to remain a Brother in his home jurisdiction, and that he wants to better it; rather than merely giving Arkansas the finger and letting it go down in flames.
Some day, racist authoritarianism will not be the hallmark of the GL of AR, as well as other places in the States. I just hope for this Brother’s sake that the first brick in that wall tumbles sooner rather than later. What a loss for Arkansas Masonry, that this apparently avid and driven pupil of the Craft is being dangled out of a window. But this isn’t over, nor is his life as a Mason.
I wish someone could find the MWGM’s email address so people could send him relevant information.
The Burning Taper blog has a copy of the letter to Bro. Derek Gordon. It shows that the MWGM is Martin Warren. His email address, taken from the Arkansas Grand Lodge website, is this:
JMGWarren@ argrandlodge.org.
Let’s get one thing straight. The letter is in this story on the Beehive. The Burning Taper copied the letter from this site
Sorry, I wasn’t aware of the origin of the posting of the letter. That was all I knew of at the time. Thank you for correcting the attribution. My intent was to show the origin of who was holding the office, hence the reason for the email address, so no one would think that I was pulling an email address out of thin air. I meant no offense.
For a bright law school student he has a problem following Mosonic Law and takes a lot of his information from hearsay.Did anyone take time to open enlarge and read the letter from the AR GL above? Read it. It says nothing about license plates or information being placed on public websites.(though he might have broken that law too now)The letter says he is being charged with violating the 1st tie of the Entered Apprentice Degree and the 10th tie of the Master Mason’s Degree. Specifically he violated section4.0.61 of the Digest of the Constitution and Laws. Those are NOT new. Sebastian Lodge didn’t pay much attention to our website but we should have we just let Bro. Derek run it. We should have checked up on him now we have no charter and he is tryin to put up a smoke screen and blame his troubles on other things like the license plates not posting degree work info. that he knew was against Masonic Law. He can speak his case on the net but look at the letter what are the charges?
Yes, the letter from the Arkansas Grand Lodge to Bro. Derek which now also appears at http://burningtaper.blogspot.com/2010/03/gl-of-ars-letter-to-bro-derek-gordon.html was copied from this site.
Great article, Bro. Fred!
I have been in private contact with Bro. Derek since before this went public, and with current and expelled Arkansas Masons who are providing further information and background. I’ve also received some “hate email” from Arkansas Masons accusing me of violating my obligations by “speaking evil” of the Arkansas Grand Lodge for publicizing the situation.
— W.S.
Bro. John would it not be wise for the Grand Lodge to give the information to Bro. Derek regarding his charges. The letter sent is very vague and does not provide the true allegations. To say that someone broke this RULE without showing HOW it was broken is not proper. To say that the RULE was broken without providing access to the evidence and testimony is pathetic. If ARGL cared that much it should have had all of the websites for its subordinate lodges shut down, charters revoked, and members tried. I have contacted those lodges and it seems nothing is happening to them.
The only logical conclusion without ARGL being forthcoming is that Bro. Derek is being burnt for standing up for something else. If he broke such TIES this article gives PROOF that he was following other lodges who have not been punished. ARGL should move to be fair meaning it should go against all Masons involved in developing lodge websites and the lodges who have such websites.
These movements by ARGL shows a sheer disregard for many Masonic responsibilities. It is going after someone who used other resources provided indirectly by ARGL by its website links in developing a website. And it fails to handle the real issue.
ALL OF THIS IS SAID WHILE IGNORING THE RACE-ISSUE THAT THE GOOD BROTHER TRIED TO BRING TO THE FOREFRONT BEFORE CHARGES WERE FILED.
Widow’s Son let me say that I was not angry. It was perfectly fine with me. Whatever it takes to help the cause!
I think every now and then we are going to get a comment from a surrogate of the Grand Master trying to counter bad publicity. The point that needs to be made in all this is that when they want to get you they will get you and when they do it often is on something that wasn’t the real reason because to prosecute someone for the real reason – like being for civil rights for all races – would be deemed immoral and also illegal.
You just have to ask this question: Is Grand Lodge being consistent in its application of the rules and disciplining everybody across the board or is it singling out one individual. You might also ask if the punishment fits the crime. Closing down a whole Lodge as well as expelling its Secretary and Webmaster seems an extreme measure to take for the charges levied.
Lastly in all these situations where you are wondering if an injustice has been done look to see if the Ax holder – the Grand Master – has first sat down with the alleged disobedient Brother and explained why he is upset outlining the charges and then listened to the Brother’s reply. If that was done and still charges were preferred you can say that just and humane treatment was rendered and that justice will make the decision.
But instead what we see too often from Grand Lodges today is the use of arbitrary power without following the proper procedures as outlined in the Constitution and By-Laws of the Grand Lodge. The Grand Master may be all-powerful but he should work within the framework of justice as set up by the Masonic Law as put down on paper for that Jurisdiction.
Seems that The Burning Taper has gotten some good info going! http://burningtaper.blogspot.com/2010/04/tell-grand-lodge-of-arkansas-what-you.html
I am drafting a letter now and have not ruled out a cordial phone call to the leadership.
This is astounding!! This GM should be investigated and checked by a doctor. To not recognize PHA Brother Masons is insulting. I hope this GM doesn’t belong to the Scottish Rite, because CGC Ronald Seale recently honored the PHA SGM along with the SGC of our Northern Jurisdicton. Every Grand jurisdiction in the U.S. should invite Brother Derek to petition any lodge without charge if he is convicted. If he is expelled, then any Grand Master can make him a Mason on sight. A nice gesture, I believe. As someone else commented, this is a stain on our beloved order.
John Henson
Aomori Lodge #10, Misawa AB, Japan (1961)
Now residing Lewisberry, PA
The problem that Bro. Derek cannot overcome is the fact that he has been around other Masons who were not recognized by the lovely and admirable Grand Lodge of Arkansas. Serving in the military and attending lodges that recognize Prince Hall is a big no-no in Arkansas.
I found out that ARGL sort of broke off ties with OKGL (Oklahoma) because of the Prince Hall recognition. Rumor has it, and this has been mentioned to me by many many Arkansas and Oklahoma Masons, that a PGM of ARGL walked out of a meeting with the GM in OKGL because the meeting included “black masons.”
Apparently the problem stems from the sheet-wearing Arkansas Grand Lodge as it seems… Bro. Derek stands for what Masonry is about. But he will be removed by a dictatorial regime that has stood in Arkansas for at least two decades.
I agree that some GM from some other jurisdiction should open arms to this brother for doing true Masonic charity in fighting for equality. But I am afraid that they will all talk the talk but refuse to walk that walk.
I wish everyone who has made comments about Derek Gordon’s situation knew the whole truth about what has happened to so many good Masons in Arkansas during the past 15 years. I can speak from first hand experience because I, like so many others, have been illegally expelled so I know exactly what Derek is up against. But times are beginning to change. There are avenues for correcting illegal behavior. Five of us were expelled or suspended at the same time. We are taking action that we believe will be the first step toward stopping Grand Lodge officials from their discriminatory ways and stop them from continuing to ignore the Digest and by-laws of our great fraternity. And I do mean that Freemasonry in Arkansas is still a great fraternity, but the good Masons in our state had better begin to stand up to the corrupt leadership or that great fraternity will eventually cease to exist.
Bro Derek there are some questions I would like to ask you:
1.Are we talking about the same MWGM or are there two different ones? Who has done what?
2.Where there any meetings with the MWGM held at Lodge 706 about this matter? How many? Were you asked to attend? Did you?
3.How can the “Mainstream” Masons have a race issue when there are black members in their lodges?
4.Jaye says, Rumor has it, and this has been mentioned to me by many many Arkansas and Oklahoma Masons, that a PGM of ARGL walked out of a meeting with the GM in OKGL because the meeting included “black masons.” I was at that meeting and it DID NOT HAPPEN. Were you there Jaye?
5.Bro. Derek has the MWGM expelled you from the Masons (which he has the right to do) or are you going on Masonic Trial to answer the charge against you?
6.Bro Derek why are you still pushing the license plate debate when those are not the charge against you?
7.Bro. Derek it is plain you are being charged with posting cipher ritual from the letter above. Bro Derek are you using the defense “I did it because others were doing it so it must be OK?”(Sorry Officer, I was just going with the traffic.)
8.Were the other lodges not punished because they removed anything they were asked to remove in a timely manner?
9.Bro. Derek when were you asked to pull down Lodge 706’s website by the ARGL?
10.Bro Derek you said you feel that your trial was deliberately set on a day you have maneuvers. Isn’t that speculation on your part?
11.Lastly Bro. Derek do you fell as though you have broken any other Masonic Rules? Look at the above letter; are you following the Rule voted on by your Manson Brothers at GL banning any and all Masonic electronic transmissions? You are not being brought to trial on those charges but you have most defiantly violated that rule now.
Inquiring Minds Want to Know!!!
Bro Wilson
Bro. Wilson – while I think it’s important for the perspectives of both sides to be represented (and I appreciate your efforts to do so), can you imagine that any Grand Lodge would bring somebody up on charges for “making us look like a bunch of racists rednecks”? Of course not, since that’s not actually a violation of the regulations (at least, not up here in New England).
Just saying.
Thank you Bro.Wilson. I and some others would like to know the answers to these questions too. However look out you will be called a “surrogate of the Grand Master” too! Some on this site don’t want to know the truth.
Just Saying.
Bro. Derek is a conservative through and through. Did you every wonder about what he has said about OUR President? I am a DEM and have defended President Obama in Arkansas where there are too many conservatives. Don’t believe me. Go to his webpage pull up his related websites and look at the first link of organizations he has been linked to. AreYouLiberal.Com (Conservative Thought Engine {a database of Conservatism})But he is playing out this drama on Bro. Milliken’s web site (who is a Very Honorable Bro.). Just sayin!
So I went and looked. It’s there!
I do believe the GM is not using a biase but that Br0. Derek is trying to start up his own little race war in the Masons. He is using Bro. Milliken a man who has true convection about the issue of race and he is correct it does need to be corrected. But Bro Derek is using good people who feel deeply about a subject and trying to turn them away from the his “crimes” against the GL. He knows what he is being charged with and he is pulling chains that are attached to the heart. Shame on you Bro. Derek.
You just will not let go when you were proven to have lied. Everyone, Bro. Derek addressed this claim. The article that he supposedly wrote was written by a nationally recognized writer, Van Helsing. I kindly spoke up to point out this on other threads however Bro. John is trying to win a PR battle by spreading already addressed remarks to other threads in a blind hope to win some support for the problems AR seems to have created.
Bro. Derek posted the following on April 12th to a post that Bro. John just re-pasted: “The post they are talking about comes from a Spiderman movie poster. I found it at http://www.areyouliberal.com/archives/date/2010/04/08/page/4 so feel free to see where these Arkansas Grand Lodge Surrogates have failed yet again to build a logical argument.”
Again we all know that Conservatives must be racist even though there are plenty conservatives of every race. Being Bro Derek’s neighbor and of a different racial background I find it funny to think that he would be racist. I am a conservative and Derek is engaged to someone of a different race. So Bro. John please quit digging a hole because it will not help the cause.
Those are questions you will have to ask the GL? I am in NO WAY part of the GL now nor in the past! SORRY wrong again!!! Just wondering why should the GM be at his beckon call? He is not handling the case personally. He is over an entire state on just Derek Gordon. Derek said it was turn over to someone else. You keep hammering our GM like you know him. Do you? He didn’t write the letter about the plates. He has never brought up anything about the PH plates in anything posted. Bro. Derek is the one bring up that up. Hey why did he make all those calls before March the 17th??? The young brother is and has been attempting to avert the real charges against him and make it about race when it is NOT!! He has the letter with the charges on it! He has posted it. WHAT ELSE DOES HE NEED!!!Everything he has written is speculation and conjecture. (guesswork: the formation of judgments or opinions on the basis of incomplete or inconclusive information)The entire handshake story total CONJECTURE!! The letter is everywhere for everyone to see it is very plain!! You can’t twist it into something it is not no matter how you try.
Bro. Derek did repost stuff today! He must be back and off to study for his tests. I hope that he looked at the testing schedule before he choose his classes and spaced his tests out well! Good luck to the young brother I hope when his grades come out in June or July they are good!