| MAY 1, 2025 -- From “Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Hmmm... sounds like something that could be said about things going on today, doesn’t it? This quote could be applied to Facebook. It can be used for so much good, yet also for so much bad.
This brings me to the current saga wherein one well-known Granger and prominent Granger who has made many lasting contributions to our Order is using Facebook to question just how much the Connecticut State Grange really supports our Granges. These mis- statements of information have placed the disposable income of the Grange available to be spent on programs far above what it really is. All when the financial statements of the Order are properly put before the Delegate Body at the Annual Session and is also available to all in the Journal of Proceedings. On two National Grange forums this person has put said subject forth in utterly inappropriate fashion as neither was the proper forum to air this content. One was in a posting about the Seventh Degree filming in Illinois and the other was on National Grange History; utterly inappropriate places to post dirty laundry. Furthermore, while this lack of support of Granges is being foisted upon the populace, the subject’s Grange has received a rather substantial loan for repairs to her Grange (which used to be quite well off, it is said). Another substantial loan is heading to her Grange from unclaimed funds from the subject’s former Grange, all discovered through the hard work of our State Secretary and to be turned over to the successor Grange on a unanimous decision of the State Grange Board of Directors because we felt they needed it instead of the State Grange keeping it. The Connecticut State Grange doesn’t do anything for its members, eh? Maybe it seems so if your head is in the sand. Years ago, Ray Pilewski of Washington Grange #11 came up with a slogan and had pins made stating, "I Am Responsible for My Grange." Not the Connecticut State Grange, but each of you. Period. Benjamin Franklin once said, “By failing to prepare, you bare preparing to fail.” Remember, we are grassroots; bottom up, not top down. Take responsibility. Period.
Remember the former discussion on Grange Purpose in a previous column? What are you (plural and singular "you") doing and where are you going. Are you the master of your future or just waiting for others to do it for you? Use the resources provided by the Grange to your advantage.
This brings me back to Facebook. Words have lasting impacts. I rarely get political so forgive this one minor incursion. This idea on words was brought to me recently in reading about the President’s Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commenting on former President Joe Biden’s speech about the dismantling of Social Security. What she said when she heard he had made a nighttime speech was that she was surprised he was up at this hour as she thought it was after his bedtime. Clearly a nasty swipe with no direct connection to anything he said yet meant to insult. This is how normalized nastiness has become in our society and especially on Facebook in which case you don’t have to confront those you wish to insult or gripe about. You have the protection of an inanimate computer screen and might even be bolstered by “friends” of like philosophical bent.
Brothers and Sisters, I would encourage you all to review your Obligations and ideas of what this Fraternity means to you before you write on Facebook or other social media. Share the good, make Facebook a positive place, and remember, if you don’t have something nice to say, maybe you best keep it to yourself!
Then there’s the mis-truths about the coming dues increases. We’ll get to that subject of dues in another column... |
