Let's Not Fall Into Derangement

'Cause, you know, it's nuts!

It’s no secret that partisan politics has always been a big part of my life. My grandfather and my uncle were politicians. I’ve been elected to public office and served. I worked decades for a political caucus within my State Legislature, as does my wife, and as have two of my three daughters.

But, I’ve never hated the people on the other side.

Photo by Ellis Dieperink on Unsplash

Here we are, once again in the heat of Presidential election season.

And this morning, I read a really long thread over on X (Twitter, whatever) from a young father explaining that he has decided to cut his parents out of his life, and his son’s life, because they were supporting the ‘other’ candidate, and had posted that support on Facebook. Hence somehow in his mind embarrassing him and his family.

Then I read the cesspool of comments. Some supporting his decision, others opposed to it, and him standing firm.

We saw this same thing happen within families during the previous Presidential campaign season.

I advocate for political positions, and political candidates. Strongly. My political beliefs are long and firmly held. Apparently I advocate strongly and effectively enough that people and institutions pay me to do just that.

But, I’ve never hated the people who advocate for different positions or different candidates.

It would be absurd to hate over such mundane and profane matters.

No one, in the whole history of the world has ever laid on his or her deathbed and muttered the words… ‘I sure am glad that I destroyed my relationship with my father because he voted for John Doe instead of Jack Dow.’

Four years ago people across the United States intentionally broke their families apart because of whom they planned to vote for. It is happening again now.

Doing so is deranged.

It is a sign of mental illness.

And to be clear, while it seems to be increasingly popular in our society to claim to have some mental illness or another, mental illness is a bad thing.

All of this ties right back to Freemasonry.

We must, as Masons, ensure that we do not allow our political passions to overwhelm us to such an extent that we allow our relationships within Masonry to be harmed because of whom the other guy might be perceived to be supporting.

Ultimately, it’s Football. The Seahawks and Patriots. We’ve got our team, the other fellow in Lodge has his team, and those teams fight it out. We may be really passionate about our team. We may even think that the Patriots are a bunch of cheatin’ bastards, but it would be nuts to let our passion for our team destroy our relationships within our Lodge.

And doing so negates one of the most important benefits of our Craft.

The benefit of friendship and fellowship with people much different than ourselves.

The first Worshipful Master who ever appointed me to an office in a Masonic Lodge was a fellow who plays for the other political team. We remain friends to this day.

The first Mason who truly welcomed me into local Masonry when I moved across the State was a fellow super passionate for the other political team. I still mourn his passing.

In this time of extreme division we can not allow political rhetoric and passion to destroy our families. Or our Lodges.

We do well to remember the teaching of our Ancient Craft that calls on us to subdue our passions.