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Th e history of our own nation includes too many hundreds of millions of interactions with potential
similarities to the problems of the Pythagoreans. voters who believed they were interacting with fellow
On July 11, 1804 longstanding malicious political Americans” An April 2018 article by the Brennan
animosities between two opposing parties in our Center NYU Law, “Social Media is Now Prime Conduit
nation came to a fatal clash. Th e fi nal engagement was a for Foreign Interference”, said that $1.4 billion was
fateful duel between the Th e history of our own nation includes too many spent online in the 2016
sitting Vice President similarities to the problems of Pythagoras. election. Unless we take
Aaron Burr and former preventative steps “any
Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton who bad actor – not just Russia - will have the power to
died the next day from the wound from Burr’s dueling covertly sow chaos in our politics.”
pistol.
So what is our responsibility as Masons? Brethren,
On May 22, 1856 diff erences of opinion about slavery unless we wish to continue a journey into the disorder,
between abolitionists and slavery supporters let shambles, and abyss that befell Pythagoras around 500
South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks feel BC, Alexander Hamilton in 1804, or the United States of
justifi ed in attacking Massachusetts Senator Charles America in 1861, we have a duty and obligation to turn
Sumner, with a cane. Sumner working at a desk humanity away from the hatreds, animosities, enmities,
bolted to the fl oor was unable to quickly rise and and hostilities currently infesting human culture and
protect himself from blows to his societies. Th ese have led worldwide
head. Brooks was supported by two to the current lack of Civility with its
companions, Lawrence Keitt and accompanying rudeness, insensitivity,
Henry Edmunson, who prevented anger, and violence. We must lead
immediate help for Sumner. Th e the way toward a return to truth,
short lived attack still allowed forbearance, moderation, harmony,
Brooks time to give, as he said, order, friendship, gentleness, agreement
“30 good stripes” to Sumner’s head and civility while maintaining our own
before others could intervene. civility, fi delity, honor, uprightness,
Enough votes (two thirds) could integrity, values, principles, and
not be mustered to expel Brooks brotherly love.
from the House of Representatives.
So he voluntarily resigned and was
reelected at the next election. Using
value-laden verbiage, northern news
reported the “Cowardly Assault”
while southern sources carried
reports of “Sumner's Chastisement".
Th ese uncompromising political
diff erences foretold the rising
regional animosities and political
diff erences that culminated in the
start of the Civil war fi ve years later.

During recent years, within our own country, there
have been escalating political, social, and regional
diff erences leading to expanded hatreds, animosities,
incivility and violence. Much of this has been fueled by
foreign interference. An October 2017 article by Tom
McCarthy said in part foreign (online) “...trolls and bots Reprinted from "Pythagoras, Burr, Hamilton, Sumner,
focused on controversial topics in an eff ort to stoke Brooks Civility and Masons", Donald McDougal, 2019, The
"Maine Mason", Winter 2019. Grand Lodge of AF&AM of
political division on an enormous scale – and it hasn’t Maine.
stopped...” He went on to say that “Th e broader strategy
is...about destabilizing the country by focusing on and
amplifying existing divisions, rather than supporting
any one political party. ...these became staging grounds
for an attack on American Democracy... imposters had
Montana Freemason Page 23 March/April 2021 Volume 97 No. 2