As a tolerant pluralist, I have nothing personal against Freemasons. I have no evidence that Freemasons have been involved in crime or intimidation. There are weirder cults out there that are part of the NZ social fabric than this religious alcoholic sect. Just ask the Maori MPs.
I don't know if my old man frequented the Masonic Lodge on Fitzherbert Avenue in Palmy, and I don't rightly care. He was a member of the working class end of the Masonic Hotel Bar, where he would partake of regular liquid communions before driving home to beat the wife or kids. I don't blame the Freemasons for this at all.
However, as part of my job description of comforting the afflicted and afflicting the comfortable, the Freemasons are fair game. So, if Todd McClay wants to suck up to the self-proclaimed rulers of the country, that's his lot to cast.
One has to wonder why all the fashion Nazis come from the provinces. First it was mad Michael Lhaws, now it's Grand Pooh Bear Brother Todd. When will the vanilla people recognise there are more flavours to heaven and earth than is dreamt of in their philosophy?
