The Palmetto Bug on the Masonic Line has made mention just recently of some of the disparity between internet blogging on the various goings on in the Internet world of late.
Specifically the points of the W. Virginia Affair; the Georgia Affair, and the recently reported Virginia Affair which is the story of Virginia Prince Hall masonry expelling members in a recognition dispute. Each of which having its own level of national news reporting and public interest.
Yet, at the same time, none of these stories have risen to any level of broad national interest outside of Masonic circles. Inside the fraternity is another story and each has set off its own successive wave of tempest level storms within our microcosm.
Obviously, each story is important to who ever reports or opines on it, but when you step back and put a few arms length of distance on them, is it so much a tempest or just the swirl of the contents in the hands of those holding the cup?
Each of these stories is a small component to the larger mosaic that makes up the tessellated reality of Freemasonry. Each story is important to the one who talks about it, just as talking about which stories get reported is important to some too.
Maybe this is argument for a national Masonic reporting body, to track down, investigate, and report back on all things worth knowing. My guess is that there is not sufficient interest or support for such a bureau, as the reality is that an active audience of 150,000 engaged masons is hardly enough to generate revenue from and support itself with.
What remains is the Free Press that you are reading now.
So, in lieu of a Masonic News Agency, I’d like to extend an offer for all things worth reporting. If you have a tip, a story, an idea, or complaint, or grievance feel free to send it in and we’ll do our best to publish it (no promises of course) and we do reserve the right to edit for content. You can send your content directly at masonictraveler@gmail.com
In the mean time we wait for the next tempest in the tea cup, but with a greater degree of skepticism of its relative importance. The broader question we can contemplate is if the measure of the tempest is juxtaposed into the profane world would we see the relative important of Masonry to it.
That seems to be the bigger story to report.