Dear Editor, Since my name is mentioned by Mr. Bob Winter in
his
”
Golden Quill
”
letter to the editor (3/27), it appears that I need to make some
further comments.
City Council Favoritism for Freemasons Doesn’t Pass the Test for PD Dedication
Dear Editor,
Since my name is mentioned by Mr. Bob Winter in his “Golden Quill” letter to the editor (3/27), it appears that I need to make some further comments. First, is the matter of representation-equality in a public setting. Did Gilroy’s City Council invite any other organization besides the Freemasons to participate in the dedication of the public Gilroy Police Department building? If so, who were they? If not, why not? Is it because there just aren’t any contemporary groups that do public building dedications anymore?
Who in the City Council will answer my question? Just because the Masons still conduct public dedication ceremonies in “ancient tradition”, my question to Council is: (1) does this singling out of the Masons show a level of favoritism to one organization by a governmental agency that is unfair to any other organization that might have wanted to participate? And (2) does such an action by Council pass the equality test that government supposedly uses to apply across the board to sensitive public matters where religious inference might be construed to be present in a public function that government hosts?
Second, given the fact that California state Masonic authorities were given a prominent place seated at a head table by themselves in the front of the audience at the PD building dedication ceremony hardly puts GPD Chaplin Rev. McPhail’s activity on an equal level of participation, especially timewise.
And finally Mr. Winter apparently does not follow his own advise, vis-a-vis, “people whose minds are closed to reason seldom consider arguments counter to their convictions, no matter how shaky.” I would direct Mr. Winter to consider this quote from one of his own exalted high-Masonic authorities of years-past, Albert Mackey, Secretary General of the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Rite of Freemasons: “Look at its [mansonry’s] ancient landmarks, its sublime ceremonies, its profound symbols and allegories-all inculcating religious observance, and teaching religious truth, and who can deny that it is eminently a religious institution? . . . Masonry, then, is indeed a religious institution; and on this ground mainly, if not alone, should the religious Mason defend it.” (Albert G. Mackey, Encyclopedia of Freemasonry, p. 619)
Congratulations Mr. Winter for the defense of what you’ve sworn to uphold.
James Fennell, Gilroy
