Here’s What You Need to Know About Freemasonry

This piece was originally published on Medium.com October 7, 2022

A Raw Look At One of The World’s Oldest Secret Societies

I have been told I could be killed for sharing this organization’s secrets so if anything happens to me, let this be the first place you look.

I spent the past 18 months “knocking” at the oldest Masonic Lodge in California, Cal 1. I waited twelve months to ask for an application, another four months before my background check was completed, and then another two months before my membership was voted on by the Master Masons in the lodge (those who have achieved the rank of third degree or higher).

At the Grand Lodge, 1111 California St

My Reasons For Wanting to Become A Freemason

April 17, 2021, less than three weeks after I filed to run for the US House of Representatives, I was invited to a “drive through” picnic at a friend’s Masonic lodge. What I thought was a campaigning opportunity turned into an experience spanning the next eighteen months, even longer than the eleven months my Congressional campaign lasted.

What I found that Saturday afternoon was quite different from what I expected.

I found a very down to earth group of guys, who were as diverse in life and work experience as they were in race and ethnicity. I actually had a wonderful time with them that afternoon, and instantly became intrigued.

I began to attend the monthly stated meeting, missing only a single meeting throughout the entire process. At each stated meeting, only the brothers are allowed inside the “special” room; the prospects must wait outside until after the meeting is over, when everyone gets together in the grand hall for dinner.

The pursuit of Freemasonry is actually quite honorable. It is all about bettering yourself; a journey of personal development, so that you can be of best service to the community you belong to. I won’t give any oxygen to the stupidity you hear about human sacrifice or blood rituals because it is simply not true. Freemasonry also brings together individuals who would not normally cross paths.

I think my favorite brother was Lambert. He would sit outside with the prospects and tell us stories about the history of Freemasonry, and some of its better known members, like John Wayne and Barack Obama. My other favorite brother was Jimmy. Everyone loved Jimmy. He was the Secretary and the nicest guy ever. I recognized his last name as belonging to one of the oldest families in San Francisco. Being a sixth-generation San Franciscan, I was excited at the thought of joining an organization with these kinds of people.

My Favorite Memories

Perhaps my fondest memory during this process was witnessing Aziz’s proposal to Monique.

It was my first time at the club level at Oracle Park. The Masons for Mitts Program had raised over a million dollars that would provide over 50,000 “Junior Giants” with a brand new baseball mitt. The first baseball team I played on (Go Squidwards!) in the third grade was a Junior Giants team so this was particularly meaningful. I was invited to a special ceremony where I got to meet Masons from Lodges across San Francisco, and I even got to meet the Grand Master of California.

I cried when the kiss cam came around and Aziz proposed to Monique. Our entire side of the park cheered. Later on I found out that Willie Mays was at the park as well. What a special night.

That night Jonathan Chan told me he was so excited for me to join, especially since he would be President next. He told me that he wished the other brothers could get to know me as well as he had, but he also knew that wasn’t possible with a group as large as ours. I asked him a bit about the voting process, and he told me that the Grand Master (President) sets the “rules” for the vote. “No’s” are very rare because the Master will not bring a prospect up for vote if he feels the outcome won’t be favorable. I went home smiling that night.

Actually, throughout this process, I was told SEVERAL times by the brothers that I was there because they wanted me there, and if that were not the case they would have told me so.

I foolishly took their word as truth.

At the Grand Lodge, 1111 California St

The Final Vote

This brings me to October 4th, 2022, the night I was finally going to be voted on. This date had been dangled over my head for several months now, so I was a bit anxious to get it over with. They had done a background check on me and I was interviewed by three of the brothers. One by phone; two in person when I arrived at the lodge the evening of October 4th.

As soon as I arrived, Ron (not Erickson) whisked me away to the back room. For the most part, the interview went well, or at least I thought so. He was incredibly blunt and I liked it.

The last question Ron asked took me a bit by surprise:

“Do you think your homosexuality will affect your membership in this organization?”

Every fiber in my being wanted to sarcastically reply “Not anymore than your heterosexuality will,” but I thought to myself you’re so close and instead said “No.”

Ron chuckled and said he was going to send a Palestinian in next.

Nabil’s interview was much shorter. After we were done, I went into the grand hall to wait with the other prospects while the brothers went into the lodge.

While we were out there waiting, Will, the other prospect being voted on that evening, told us about his time at the baseball game the previous week. I remember Will being so drunk that evening that Jonathan Chan had to leave with him at least four times because he was making so many people visibly uncomfortable. The President was sitting right behind them with his girlfriend so I’m not sure why he didn’t say anything; many of the surrounding Masons looked directly at him while Will was making a fool of himself.

Anyway, apparently Will had been accused of saying the n-word but, to put it in his fully enunciated words, “N_ _ _ a! Not, you know” to myself and the other 5 open- mouthed prospects. There was an African American man who had also been knocking, but I wonder if Will’s words that night at the Giants game offended him so much that he didn’t return. Perhaps this was why there were many Asians, Arabs and Latinos in Cal 1, but no Black men.

And then all of a sudden the men came out from their meeting.

I knew the news wasn’t good when none of the brothers looked at me as they came out of the room.

I knew it was bad when Jonathan Chan shook Will’s hand but completely ignored me when we went in to talk to the President after the meeting.

I knew I didn’t make the cut when the President took me out the back door to the parking lot and told me that unfortunately I had been rejected. I didn’t really pay attention to anything he said after that. I just wanted to get the fuck out of there.

One of my favorite brothers

I wasn’t going to get my eighteen months back, but dammit I walked out of there with my head held high. This rejection says A LOT about this organization, but it doesn’t say anything about me. I’ve accomplished more in my mere 30 years on this planet than many of these old men have done in their entire lives, with HALF the resources.

I will wear this rejection like a badge of honor for the rest of my life.

As of the time this article was published, I have not heard from a single one of the “gentlemen” I had gotten to know over the last 18 months. I have not been refunded the $204 I paid to go through the vetting process.

But seeing who did make the final cut, I feel like I dodged a huge bullet.

So to the spineless inbred who didn’t have the courage to approach me directly with his issue: enjoy the boys, you’ve got em all to yourself now. Please tell them it was a pleasure getting to know their wives while you all went into your little room to do big boy things. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of any of your fun.

And after all, my homosexuality may have affected my membership in Freemasonry.