The Associated Press just moments ago moved with a story again featuring the charge of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley's association with what has been called the "racist" Grand Lodge of Alabama. It talks about the 1999 episode at their Grand Lodge meeting where Bro. Alex Harris was shouted down for even discussing the idea of white Alabama Masons recognizing black Alabama Masons. ABC News affiliate WMAR-TV in Baltimore links to the article from their homepage, where the story is titled "Black, white Masons in South struggle with racial separation." Such frontpage coverage indicates it will probably be a featured story on their news programs this evening.
The report also delves into the Grand Lodge of North Carolina vote a few weeks ago, which once again kept that state's white group from recognizing the black group.
It also looks at the recent vote in Delaware, where that state's Grand Lodge finally joined the 20th century and began recognizing their black counterparts.
This story also contains some of the first remarks from black Masons about the race issue in Freemasonry, quoting Arkansas Prince Hall head Cleveland Wilson as saying, "...[W]e're fine without [white Masons]. I'm of the attitude that since they haven't shown any interest, I'm not interested, either."
With the recent movie flap over The Da Vinci Code, the upcoming sequel The Solomon Key, and many other books on Freemasonry and "secret societies," the mass media has been writing more and more stories about Freemasonry. The New York Times recently wrote about the fraternity in its Sunday edition, and countless small newspapers across the country have been writing features and/or printing items on their "society pages" about upcoming meetings and lodge anniversaries, etc.
It's interesting — and hopeful — to see the mainstream media picking up on stories The Burning Taper and other Masonic blogs have been following for several months. It's also good to know that the "Masonry is the last bastion of racism" meme is going to finally get an airing in the national media. Just wait til Jesse Jackson, a Freemason, Al Sharpton, status unknown, and other black national spokesman put the issue on their radar.
Update, Sunday, Oct. 22: Other news outlets apparently saved this AP story for their Sunday editions. The Columbus, Ga., Ledger-Enquirer, for example, ran this story in today's edition.
Update, Monday, Oct. 23: And now the Houston Chronicle has published the AP story, as has Yahoo News.
Update, Monday, Oct. 23, later: I've just received a list of over 40 newspapers, news sites, and television stations that have published the most recent Jay Reeves AP story about racism within Freemasonry, that noble and ancient institution dedicated to universal brotherly love. The world now knows about what we've been telling you here for months, that Freemasonry in the South is the last bastion of institutional racism.
Masons | Masonic Trial | Grand Lodge of Delaware | Freemasonry | BurningTaper.com | Grand Lodge of Alabama | Grand Lodge of North Carolina | Burning Taper | Bob Riley | Grand Lodge of Georgia | Prince Hall Masonry
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