The Hedge Mason: Masonic Protest in Brazil

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Masonic Protest in Brazil

Masons protest in a public square and demonstrate dissatisfaction with the Dilma Government The Masons invited society to reflect on the current situation in the Brazil. Carrying banners and placards, a Lodge of Masons organized a march to protest against the current political, economic and social situation faced by Brazil during the day last Saturday (March 22, 2014). Masons advocate freedom of expression, respect for the law and based upon their ethical principles, protested against corruption and high tax rates. They are asking the Judiciary to protect equal rights for all Brazilians, among other demands.

Worshipful Master Marcos Barbosa

The protest occurred in Getúlio Vargas Square in downtown Caratinga, Brazil. The march was organized by the Lodge "Loja Obreiros de Caratinga" and "Fraternidade Acadêmica de Caratinga." According to Marcos Barbosa, the Worshipful Master of Lodge Obreiros de Caratinga, other lodges in the country also engaged in protests to encourage Brazilian society to reflect on the political and economic situation in Brazil. Marcos Barbosa also highlighted that the march was supported by the Masonic Lodges of Ipanema and Simonésia, and some brothers in Manhuaçu and the lodges of Loja Caratinga Livre and Filhos da Acácia. During the protest, the Masons also warned of a possible dictatorship in the country.

Obrigado a Roberto Marilia e Raquel Borsari.
Thanks to Roberto Marilia and Raquel Borsari.

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Welcome to the Hedge Mason Blog, affiliated with the UMURM

A word or two by way of explanation may be

worth offering concerning the title of this blog.

Hedge Mason, like similar terms Hedge Master,

Hedge Lodge, and the more widely recognized

Hedge School, are terms from Hiberno-English.

The latter of these terms, as many Irish will know,

refers to illicit schools dedicated to the maintenance

of Irish culture and language, alongside the classics

of European Philosophy, including Greek and Latin studies.

These institutions were founded throughout rural Ireland during

the Penal era when Irish Gaelic culture was under attack

by the English occupier. During this time also, the term

Hedge was added to masonic terms to refer to any masonic

individual or institution not approved of by the

Anglophone world. These often were lodges and masons

working to advance the cause of Irish independence.

It seems a very appropriate term then, for me to use to

name this blog.

For quite a while I have observed various blogs and podcasts

relating to Freemasonry, finding both much worth emulating

and a few things worth avoiding among them. Fairly

quickly it became apparent to me that there was little

being published in North America (or elsewhere for that matter)

that dealt fairly and offering a positive perspective on Liberal

Freemasonry or the world beyond the confines of the

Preston-Webb Rites or the AASR Northern or Southern

Jurisdictions and especially with the Modern Rite with which

we are associated.. Such sites exist beyond the Anglophone

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It seems to me that it is time for a change, and this blog

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The goal of this blog will be to provide interesting topics

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and on responsible alternatives to what is exemplified by the

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While this site will not avoid covering contemporary issues,

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such thing as clandestine or irregular freemasonry. Such

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contemporary and historical. Further, such attitudes

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which is the foundation of Freemasonry.

In short, this site is about education and expanding

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