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  •  It's just a campaign stop (none / 0)

    for politicians....

    In many small towns, the freemasons are one of three or four service/social clubs that most of the upstanding citizens in the town belong to.  It's like the Lion's Club, or Kiwanis.  I think you'd find most presidents, senators, etc., etc. are members of some or all of those other organizations as well.

    People running for office in towns like that usually try to join (you have to be invited or sponsored); it probably doesn't pull in too many extra votes most of the time, but maybe a few, and it gets you out in the community, and shows you to be a responsible, concerned citizen.  That's all.  It's the opposite of the conspiracy... they become freemasons because they want to run for office, they don't get into office because they're freemasons.

    "Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." -- Adlai E. Stevenson

    by eebee on Wed Feb 04, 2004 at 01:50:15 PM PDT

    •  Actually, (none / 0)

      the Freemasons are a little more sinister than the Lions or Elks.  They are very secretive, so no one is really sure what they are up to.

      As for their influence on politics, it is evident in that weird pyramid/eyeball thing on the dollar bill. That's a Freemason symbol. They had some influence over the forming of the country, but not much since about mid-19th century.

      There's a war between the ones who say there is a war and the ones who say there isn't. --Leonard Cohen

      by al Qidder on Wed Feb 04, 2004 at 01:57:55 PM PDT

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