These days many Masonic lodges are in financial trouble. The golden age of secret societies was over a hundred years ago now, and while back then most men belonged to some sort of fraternity those times are long past. Nowadays it's not uncommon for lodges to rent their buildings to non-members for various events, but as this Michigan lodge found out you need to be careful who you rent to. Because this is not the sort of publicity any lodge wants to see.
Now I suppose there are those who will say that this is exactly the sort of recruiting lodges should be doing if they want younger members. I expect that others will see this as proof that the Masons are part of the evil Illuminati who are so secret that they get mentioned in every other music video. But the reality is that this lodge simply failed at due diligence in terms of screening its renters.
'Charlie' a Freemason spokesman, said the man renting the lodge told the Freemasons he would be hosting a dance party. The Freemasons said they checked on the party about 1am on Sunday and found nothing suspicious. However, when officers arrived a little more than an hour later, they found debauchery, police sources told WWMT.
City officials say they are considering fines and charges, both against the party promoters and the Freemasons who own the building. The report from WWMT does not specify whether drugs were found or seized. A summary of a police report printed in the Battle Creek Enquirer newspaper mentions only the naked women dancing on stage. Police said they told the women to dress and to leave the premises.
Now I suppose there are those who will say that this is exactly the sort of recruiting lodges should be doing if they want younger members. I expect that others will see this as proof that the Masons are part of the evil Illuminati who are so secret that they get mentioned in every other music video. But the reality is that this lodge simply failed at due diligence in terms of screening its renters.
I'm curious as to what exactly went on, as the article doesn't provide many details. If they checked the party at 1am and found nothing to alarm them, it couldn't have been very organized debauchery. Sounds more like an episode of "Girls Gone Wild", or perhaps the person who was hiring the strippers didn't get there until very late.
ReplyDeleteBut there's nothing in the description of the event that is any more shocking than any number of bachelor parties. I was expecting an enactment of the party scene from "Eyes Wide Shut".
I think the whole reason that anybody is making much of this is that it has to do with those evil Masons. If this had happened at a regular party rental venue I have a hard time believing that it would have attracted much press.
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