October 2009 - Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Georgia

PM Michael DelgadoGrand CCFCEach year at about this time, most Masonic organizations engage in the traditional and time-honored process called “theelection of officers for the ensuing year.” This is normally a serious . time when men gather to decide who shall lead themfor the next twelve months (usually the normal tenure of office).However, each year we find that in many of our lodges, chapters, consistories and temples, there arises the ugly elementof manipulation in the otherwise democratic process of election. Each year there are those unscrupulous members whohave not attended a single meeting throughout the year, and who will decide to come on election night to vote their “manor men” into office.There is something inherently wrong and un-Masonic with this practice! Unfortunately, however, there is absolutelynothing illegal about it. There is no law, written or unwritten, that I know of, that can deprive a member in good standingof the right to vote at any time, more especially at an Annual Meeting.While there may be some Masonic jurisdictions that will deny members the right to run for elective offices, who have notattended a pre-requisite number of meetings throughout the year, yet the right of these members to vote is protected byMasonic jurisprudence.I must confess that there are times like this when I wish we could simply bar such members from voting at all, but legallywe can’t.Perhaps one day we will come to the realization that allowing members of our venerable Order to manipulate our electionprocesses by giving them voting privileges when they have not earned them by regular attendance, shall have to be dealtwith by the enactment of strict Masonic laws disallowing their right to vote. Until that happens, we shall continue tosuffer the ill practices of brethren who do not mean well.Greensboro Chapter No. 345Habitat For HumanityHabitat for Humanity is an international, ecumenical Christian, non-governmental, non-profit organization devotedto building "simple, decent, and affordable" housing. Homes are built using volunteer labor and are sold at no profit.The organization was founded in 1976 in Americus, Georgia, by Millard and Linda Fuller. The Sisters of GreensboroChapter No. 345 O.E.S. prepared lunch for the workers building the Habitat Houses for residents of Greene CountyPage 26