United Grand Lodge
of Antient, Free and Accepted Masons
of England


 
Province of
South Wales
Eastern Division

News
Report

National Assembly for Wales: AM's to be consulted in effort to restore sanity  The Standards of Conduct Committee met again on Thursday 16 October 2003 to consider the thorny and embarrassing question of how to bring an end to the Assembly's own illegal discrimination against Freemasons. The somewhat surreal situation is that under the present Standing Orders, an Assembly Member (AM) who fails to declare that he is a Mason is, de-facto, guilty of a criminal offence - whilst an AM who was an undeclared member of the Ku-Klux-Klan would not be! Freemasons are not fighting to avoid having to declare their membership. What they want is simply to be treated in the same way as others; and not to be discriminated against. The committee agreed in principle to take exactly the same proposals that were rejected on 13 November 2002 back to another Plenary Session. However, members agreed to consult with their parties before formally making the submission in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the earlier debacle. The discussions brought forth some less than constructive contributions from a minority of members. One of the 'highlights' of these intolerant contributions came from Owen John Thomas (South Wales Central), who had earlier been upbraided by the Chair, Kirsty Williams (Brecon & Radnorshire), for quite clearly not having read the papers on the issue which had been supplied to members before the meeting. Mr Thomas's somewhat eccentric contribution included the following mysterious statement: "We do know of instances where we have seen Freemasonry being influential ... not in a positive way .... right? I could certainly give you chapter and verse, but I won't do that because it'll involve other people who are not here, and I don't want to do that." We have subsequently challenged Mr Thomas to make public his "chapter and verse" so that it can be tested in a Court of Law or other appropriate tribunal. His reticence about involving people not present appears highly selective. It clearly did not inhibit him from vilifying the 18,000 or so Welsh Freemasons who were not there either. Our challenge to Mr Thomas - to put up or shut up - remains on the table; we have nothing to hide. So far Mr Thomas, seemingly not one to let the facts get in the way of his argument, has (so far as we know) adduced no evidence whatsoever.  The Standards of Conduct Committee meets again to discuss the main issue on Thursday 20 November 2003, after members have had an opportunity to measure support for the proposals within their parties.  Freemasons would prefer that this issue is brought to an acceptable conclusion, without further undue delay, by resolution within the National Assembly for Wales itself. By any standard, we have been very patient; but that patience cannot be limitless. As proud Welshmen and Britons; we are embarrassed that our Assembly continues to expose itself to international ridicule in this way. Assembly Members will hopefully consider very carefully the opinion of their own independent legal adviser. To employ a metaphor, this impartial advice is that the Welsh Assembly is currently looking down the barrel of a loaded gun ... from the wrong end. That metaphorical gun represents potential legal action against the Assembly as an institution and; just possibly, against individual AMs both present and past. We must again emphasise that this is the opinion of the Assembly's own independent legal adviser. It is thus clear that if AMs choose to indulge themselves by ignoring it again, they may be doing so at their own personal cost.

The timeline of shame (see below) Editorial Freemasonry can't just be about friendship, charity and integrity, can it? Helping your fellow man and making the world a better place for all? We know it's difficult to believe - many people have similar incredulity when politicians ascribe those same motives to their own activties! Freemasonry currently stands condemned at the Welsh Assembly - by a controlling minority - entirely on the basis of heresay and folklore ... if so many people believe it; then it must be true, mustn't it? That is the very sort of thinking that proliferated in 1930's Germany where Jews, Romanys, Slavs and so many other minorities, including Masons, were persecuted - in some cases to near extinction in that country and the countries subsequently occupied. That is precisely why the European Court of Human Rights exists today. Freemasonry most emphatically does not involve itself in politics - except in cases like this when Freemasonry itself is being used as a political football. In such cases we will, if necessary, defend it with every legitimate means at our disposal. The timeline of shame 7 Jul 2003 Committee warned of dire consequences of continuing discriminatory policy toward Masons 30 Jan 2003 National Assembly for Wales: Progress .... or filibustering? 13 Nov 2002 Welsh Assembly fails to bring an end to its 'illegal' discrimination 20 Mar 2002 Freemasons applaud first step by Welsh Assembly 18 Mar 2002 Freemasons still await an end to discrimination by Welsh Assembly 12 Dec 2001 'Day of destiny' draws nearer at the Assembly as European Court rules in favour of Freemasonry 4 Apr 2001 Welsh Assembly hears evidence from Freemasons September 2000 We make formal representations in light of the new Human Rights Act 1998 1998 Our then Provincial Grand Master, The Rt. Hon. The Lord Swansea, writes to NAAG objecting to proposed registration requirements