Posted on 06/11/2002 7:22:08 AM PDT by Int
thr 064
UK-Freemasons /WRD/
Masons threaten legal action to keep anonymity
London, June 11, IRNA - Freemasons in Britain are threatening legal
action to prevent the government from forcing its members in the
police and other parts of the country's criminal justice system from
identifying themselves.
The United Grand Lodge, the London headquarters of the secret
brotherhood, has taken legal advice that any plans to make disclosure
compulsory would be discriminatory under Britain's recent Human
Rights Act, the Financial Times reported Tuesday.
"We believe we are being singled out in a way that implies there
is something wrong in being a freemason," the Grand Lodge's head of
communications John Hamill was quoted saying.
The British government made disclosure of freemasonry membership
in the police and criminal justice system voluntary in 1979 following
concern in parliament over the role of improper influence by the
secret brotherhood in public life.
But the response to voluntary registration has been slow and the
Home Office has said that it has not ruled out making disclosure
compulsory.
According to the Financial Times, freemasons, who are estimated to
number more than 300,000 in Britain, are encouraged by recent
developments in Wales' devolved assembly following the incorporation
of the European Human Rights Charter into British law.
Next month, the Cardiff-based assembly is due to vote out a
stipulation that its elected members must register whether they are a
freemason before taking office, fearing that it could be open to
challenge under the Human Rights Act.
Hamill was reported to be also masterminding a public relations
exercise to dispel public suspicions about the activities of
freemasons by drawing attention to the non-controversial and
charitable activities undertaken by the brotherhood.
HC/HC
End
::irna 15:58
At every Lodge meeting, after eating spaghetti, but before helping crippled children, we spend about 15 minutes discussing world domination.
Oh, btw. Intelligence is spelled with two L's. ;-)
If you are truly interested about the Masons, I can give you sources without the David Icke/Jack Chick spin.
Hear! Hear!
My grandfather, my uncle, my aunt, and two granduncles were all Freemasons. I never saw it as a social thing, but as a networking ad public charity sort of thing.
Yes they are.
Two queries:
1. Who were the five?
2. What’s your source? Come on, arcane research is my hobby and my passion.
OK. I’ll give you that.
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