The biggest problems on the planet are things like greed and indifference.
Those who don't care about politics, are part of the problem:
A problem that's not to be underestimated is that many people won't talk with people who don't agree with them. When you never step outside your bubble, you will never grow as a person.
Partially thanks to my dear departed mother, I've always strived to join different 'tribes', clubs, societies. It's one of the reasons I joined Freemasonry (and wrote about that
here)
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Unlike in most other countries, in the USA there's no central governing body for Freemasonry. Leading to big differences between Lodges and deviations from the old rules, established around 1770. This leads to some Lodges in the USA only accepting married men. Some Freemason Lodges claimed the right to refuse members whose skin colour is darker than Hitler's was. Yes, they would not allow Jesus to join Freemasonry! And other US Lodges accept 'every man'. Who pays a couple of thousand dollars a month in contribution. Thus being able to claim: 'See, poor people are just not fit to rule the world; Only old, white, rich dudes are!' Partially kidding of course: yes, there are some rich and powerful Freemasons but the organisation in itself is not ruling the world. If so, they'd be doing a terrible job.
Segregation is still
very real (click) in present day America and even some American Freemasons are not afraid to be racists.
There are also nice and welcoming Lodges in the USA, of course. And yes,
women can become a Freemason (click) too.
Luckily some Freemasons never stopped talking about the issue. This lead to a 'white' and a 'black' group of Masons recogniging eachother's existence. In Delaware. In 2006. Baby steps.
In other countries there have also been isues of course: should women be allowed as member? Jews? Catholics? Et cetera. And those problems will keep popping up because people will always be prejudiced. And yes, Freemasons are people.
We may never reach the point were everyone is welcome in every club, but at least we can try to be inclusive.
How about you? Do you like it in your nice, cosy bubble, or do you sometimes go out and talk to people who look and think different from you?
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