Edited by Azizi Powell
This pancocojams post presents selected comments from a reddit.com discussion by people who were or are in the United States army about "White masons" and "Black masons".
The content of this post is presented for historical and socio-cultural purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This post is part of an ongoing pancocojams series on Prince Hall Affiliated Masons and Prince Hall Affiliated Shriners.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2024/02/general-information-about-prince-hall.html for a 2024 pancocojams post entitled "General Information About Prince Hall Masons & Prince Hall Shriners (2024 Update)."
Also, click the tags below to find other pancocojams posts on this subject.
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE REDDIT.COM DISCUSSION THREAD ON THIS SUBJECT
DISCLAIMER
My quoting these comments doesn't mean or imply that I agree with what is written.
Except for the first comment, these aren't the numbers that these comments have in this reddit.com discussion thread. Numbers are added here for referencing purposes only.
These comments are given without any explanatory notes. Words that are considered profanity are given in these quotes with amended spelling that is identified by an asterisk. Quotes from other comments are given in italics within that comment.
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From https://www.reddit.com/r/army/comments/fbjkbf/senior_enlisted_and_the_freemasons/ "Senior enlisted and the freemasons"
1.
"SENIOR ENLISTED AND THE FREEMASONS
Years ago, I was a PFC in Germany. My NCO and I were were
the only two guys to work in a shop so we spent a lot of time talking and we
got to know each other pretty well. He told me that the Army was life, and he
would do whatever it took to be a Sergeant Major. He also told me that he
needed to become a Freemason to make that happen but he wasn’t sure how to go
about it.
A few months after I PCS'd, I was wondering what kind of car parts my old NCO was buying, so I looked him up on ebay. I saw that he was buying rings and other jewelry for Freemasons.
Fast forward to today: He sure is a CSM. He's worked at the White House in some very high-profile things that I shouldn't say too much about. He now has an amazing position that I am sure is VERY sought after.
Does anybody have stories to share?
ETA: I forgot to add a detail and I’m putting it above."
**
2. tangowhiskeyyy, 2020
"Just a good ol boy system that hopefully gets rooted out of
the army promotion system."
**
3. Hardasteele, 2020
"I see the stickers all over Bragg and am always like “I
don’t get it” "
**
4. squirrel_eatin_pizza, 2020
"I wrote my senior thesis about masons in the revolutionary
war. Masons have been in the army since washington. All his top generals were
masons as were most allied European advisors like von steuben"
**
5.
"Generally speaking, you want to stay away from the ones that
advertise it with clothing, symbols on their vehicles, or jewelry.
Those are the ones that promote the good old boy system."
**
6. HeatherDeepThroat, 2020 in response to [deleted], 2020
"Why are they always Black?
EO Worded: Why do White Masons never advertise their
membership?"
7. Juggernaut
"They are different houses."
**
8. usernamerefused, 2020 in response to Juggernaut, 2020
"Yeah, one is Free Masons and the other is Tyler Perry's Free
Masons"
**
9. zerogee616, 2020 in response to usernamerefused, 2020
"I would f--king* personally finance Madea Joins The
Freemasons myself."
**
10. Blue_Sky_At_Night, 2020 in response to HeatherDeepThroat, 2020
"Traditionally the Freemasons weren't uhh... that friendly
toward black membership. So like a lot of things when they're denied to people,
folks go a little overboard in the other direction"
**
11. Earthwisard2,2020 in response to Blue_Sky_At_Night, 2020
"English lodges were. Americans, not so much.
You have to be “freeborn” I.e., not a former slave. So initially George Washington taught his former slave everything there was and he went on to create prince hall freemasonry. It’s the exact same thing, just a different history. They both recognize each other as legitimate in most jurisdictions too."
**
12. HeatherDeepThroat, 2020 in response to Earthwisard2,2020
"I've heard of the Prince Hall Masons. Had no idea George
Washington started it"
**
13. quesoqueso, 2020 in response to HeatherDeepThroat, 2020
"He didn't, except maybe through education."
**
14. Blue_Sky_At_Night, 2020 in response to Earthwisard2, 2020
" George Washington taught his former slave everything there
was
Got a source for this? PBS indicates that it was British
soldiers stationed in Boston, not George Washington, and that Hall was never
owned by Washington."
**
15.
"It’s unofficially still that way, at least in the South"
**
16. Earthwisard2, 2020 in response to ashleemiss, 2020
"In FL we have black brothers. Can’t speak for the
“south”-South though."
**
17. Blue_Sky_At_Night in response to Earthwisard2, 2020
"There are black folks in my buddy's lodge as well. Buuuut I
don't think there were 30-40 years ago"
**
18. FourLeaf_Tayback, 2020 in response to HeatherDeepThroat, 2020
"I’ve never met a white dude that acknowledged being a mason.
I’ve been in the Army 18 years."
**
19. opiburner, 2020 in response to FourLeaf_Tayback, 2020
"Upon reading your statement, I realized that I I'm also
never met a white Mason that acknowledged it."...
**
20. Okl2veg, 2020 in response to Earthwisard2, 2020
"There are many lodges but most minority groups join Prince
Hall masons. Prince Hall lodges historically are African American tho many are
also of other racial make ups in PHM. Historical mostly white lodges would not
allow for years other people from racial backgrounds. Prince Hall lodge
brothers tend to promote who they are in an effort to attract new member hinse
why you see large numbers of PHMs varying in age while the mostly "White
Lodges" have died out I know of States that have closed there lodges all
together! But as for the military Masons PHMs tend to lean on there masonic
connections to obtain positions in my opinion one of the reasons why those
lodges tend to have the problems they have. But the lodge was for sure a source
brotherhood!"
**
21. ThePeriodicElement, 2019 in response to Okl2veg, 2020
"I’m sure I’ll get downvoted but, I gives no f—ks*. This is
actually inaccurate and exemplary of confirmation bias.
It isn’t always black people. My brother who is black—enlisted and was stationed at Ft. Ben and the only thing I know about his lodge is the name of it. Knights Templar. I bought him a FreeMasonry T-shirt and he said verbatim “Thanks, but I’ll never wear it”
**
22. HeatherDeepThroat, 2019 in response to ThePeriodic Element, 2020
" My brother who is black
I found this worded funny
Oh wait, upon reading this thread more, I had no idea Masons
call other Masons "brother". Hmm."
**
23. ThePeriodic Element, 2020 in response to HeatherDeepThroat, 2020
"Reading comprehension would imply I meant my actual
“brother” because I am black myself.
You ever seen the very first episode of It's Always Sunny in
Philadelphia?"
**
24. Juggernaut78, 2019
"Prince hall masons. They will take any scrap low life just
to bolster their numbers. Just your typical pyramid scheme. Most join just to
get a get out jail free card because the club frowns upon throwing each other
under the bus. About half of my old unit were masons and you could absolutely
see why they did it, the rank came EASY and FAST!"
**
25. NotOliverQueen, 2019
"I'd add the caveat to this that many if not most masons will
wear a ring with the Masonic emblem (the square and compass) as well as any
other symbols of orders they may be a part of (shriners, knights templar, 33rd
degree, etc), and this is not considered in any way out of the ordinary.
Excessive displays of Masonic symbolism though, I would thoroughly agree"
**
26. HeatherDeepThroat, 2019
"I'd add the caveat to this that many if not most masons will
wear a ring with the Masonic emblem
**
27. Genxal97
"The military has many freemasons, most just don't talk about
it."
**
28.greatplaceseaweed, 2020
"Will probably get downvoted into the abyss but it’s fine.
It’s my throwaway account. Maybe to provide some insight as a active
Freemason….
1. That CSM probably didn’t make it to that rank because he’s a Freemason. There is no real way to take a DA photo and provide proof as a Freemason. More than likely board members know him. I’m not saying he isn’t a douche bag by assuming our fraternity would get him promoted. I made the “senior leader” list prior to my initiation into the fraternity. I got there through my ncoers, positions, and assignment history.
2. We aren’t a secret society, we are a society of secrets. It’s not that you can’t receive those secrets but just as you treat your warrior ethos and creeds, we honor our “creeds.”
3. 90% of what we do is charity work. Spend a little time outside of Reddit and you will see just how involved in the community we are. In fact I get extremely burned out during the later part of the year (holidays).
4. The good old boy club will continue to exist. We help each other in need. Do we look out for each other? Yes to an extent bit freemasonry isn’t priority 1. Family and career come far beyond my fraternity.
Does this mean you will judge the offices who are graduates of USMA, because that is a good old boy club. Will you judge sororities and fraternities of individuals who joined during their college time? Do they look out for each other... you bet your sweet ass they do.
Hell the military even has a military specific fraternity/sorority. I can’t remember the name but the purple one.
5. Freemasons in the military are quite common. You just don’t hear about it because we are in our careers. Those that talk about it usually are in it for the wrong reason, and it’s very possible they have done nothing for the fraternity and are “riding the coat tail.” Doesn’t mean they are active or in good standing.
6. It cost me more to be a Freemason than it cost not to be!
7. I am a Prince Hall Mason because of the culture. Because of the diversity. Just like any other fraternity, we are proud. Doesn’t mean we are some secret society trying to take over the world.
If you have any questions, I have zero issues answering what
I can.
There is a subreddit that is public about Freemasons."
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: This is the entire comment and it is given the way that comment is written in that discussion thread.
**
29. Gypsyhunt3r, 2020
"Numbers two and three are the truth, I devoted more of my
weekends to doing projects like building wheel chair ramps at peoples houses
and pancake breakfasts than I care to count. I will also add that my 1SG during
my second year with the unit was the SW in my lodge and he checked me more than
he did any other soldier to make sure I was doing right.
**
30.
"I was told by the PM something along the lines of “if you
joined the fraternity to get promoted in the army, then you joined the wrong
organization” "
**
31. UrWelcome4YerFreedom, 2020
"We talking regular Mason or black Mason. Cause they're two
very different clubs.
32. [deleted], 2020 in response to rileytp, 2020
"Was he black?"
**
33. rileytp, 2020 in response to [deleted], 2020
I was unaware there were separate groups until I read the comments."
34.
"They are both powerful in their own very different ways."
****
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