Good fiction has its role. The novels Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four are examples of fiction that has significantly permeated part of our culture. But a true story can often inspire, inform, or even amaze readers and viewers in their own unique way. What follows is based upon a real person known to this author.
Several years ago, a buddy became interested in and joined a group associated with the Free Masons. In his case, it was the charitable works of the Shriners – a wing of Masonry – that intrigued and appealed to him.
That man had a successful local business. He was ‘religious’ in his own way, different than me, but nevertheless someone moved by faith. He became quite involved in that Masonic group and the Shriners. He took part in their fund-raising efforts. He liked what he did with the Shriners. Like millions of us, myself included, his understanding of Masonry and its history was quite limited.
One day, the pastor of a local Christian church he was attending sat down with him. That evangelical Christian minister told my buddy more about Masonry, it’s history, and rituals. My buddy was stunned when his pastor asked him to quit his involvement. But after prayer and reflection, he did what his minister suggested.
There is no doubt that some of the charitable works of the Shriners in the Masonic order have done numbers of good things for people – like children with serious health issues served by Shriners’ Hospitals – in need. There is also no doubt that many who have been members of Masonry over the centuries have had little or no real understanding of the secret side of Masonry.
In our national history, several prominent figures were Masons. Here’s what Wikipedia says in part, “the United States was founded by Freemasons who have interwoven Masonic symbols into American society, particularly in national seals, streets in Washington, D.C., architecture, and the dollar bill (indeed several Founding Fathers such as George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Monroe were Freemasons).”
Masonry is called a “secret society” not because it is literally a secret. People might drive by a local Masonic temple in their town and have some passing awareness of it or the organization.
Rather, Masonry is called a secret society because there are levels or ranks in the Masonic order that are known by those intimate with the inner workings of masonry, while most members are not. Masonry is hardly alone in that regard.
The MDMasons website – besides mentioning America’s revolutionary founders Washington, Franklin, and Monroe – also pointed to “Paul Revere, and John Hancock” as members of Masonry. Hancock’s signature on the Declaration of Independence is so legendary, that some have asked others when signing a document to place their “John Hancock” – meaning their signature – on the relevant paper.
A fair question for historical debate might be this. Would Americans have become a nation free from British crown rule in the later part of the 1700s apart from Masonry? This column only poses the question, it doesn’t propose to answer that query.
What this column will point to is this. Masons have been involved in good deeds as well as problematic events. The American Revolution and the French Revolution were quite different. About the Jacobins, per Wikipedia – “the final designs of the coalition of the philosophes, the Freemasons and the Illuminati were achieved by the Jacobins. These clubs were formed by “the adepts of impiety, the adepts of rebellion, and the adepts of anarchy” working together to implement their radical agenda.”
In Mexico’s revolution, Masonry was integral. “From the independence in 1821 until 1982, it is believed that many of the leaders of Mexico belonged to Freemasonry. When political independence came about, the few existing lodges came out of hiding and multiplied,” states Wikipedia.
Heritage-History says: “In Latin America, two names are synonymous; Freemasons and Liberals.” That apparently pro-Masonic writer added that “Many labor under the delusion as recently expressed by a writer that Latin American Masonry is “atheistic, revolutionary and contentious, and in Mexico anarchistic and murderous.” Their article elaborated on their version of history, which included this: “A great many Mexican Scottish Rite Masons now awakened to the treacherous politics being played by one of their leaders, General Santa Anna. This reached a culmination when the President Guerrero, also Grand Master of the York Rite was ruthlessly executed to eliminate him from politics. A number of Masons of both the York and Scottish Rites met and agreed that the time was ripe for a distinctive Mexican Masonic Rite which might unite both factions more strongly against their common foe, the Church Party.”
Mexico, like much of Latin America, has a history of periodic uprisings. In Mexico, Wikipedia notes that “After 1917, Mexico was led by anti–Catholic Freemasons” and that “Between 1926 to 1934, at least 40 priests were killed. There were 4,500 priests serving the people before the rebellion, but by 1934, there were only 334 licensed by the government to serve 15 million people.”
Masonry in France had similarly dark pages in its history. Wikipedia notes that “During a two-year period known as the Reign of Terror, the episodes of anti-clericalism grew more violent than any in modern European history. The new revolutionary authorities suppressed the Church, abolished the Catholic monarchy, nationalized Church property, exiled 30,000 priests, and killed hundreds more.”
How much of the above did that Protestant pastor know or share with that buddy of mine years ago? I can’t say because I wasn’t there, and those details never came in up conversation. The pro-Masonic “Mackey’s Encyclopedia of Freemasonry” wrote this: “During the Revolution, the Grand Orient suspended its labors, and the Lodges in France were dissolved; and in 1793, the Duke of Orleans, the head of the Jacobins, who was also, unfortunately, Grand Master of the French Freemasons, resigned the latter position, assigning as a reason that he did not believe that there should be any mystery nor any Secret Society in a Republic.”
In the very next sentence, having admitted that the head of the Jacobins was also “a Grand Master of French Freemasons” that same source then concludes “It is evident that the Freemasons, as an Order, held themselves aloof from the political contests of that period.” Huh? That’s a fine example of how paltering can be done by a speaker or writer. Mix some truth with some fiction and viola! A ‘narrative’ is created that is useful to those who want to spin a tale useful to their interests.
The points here are several and sometimes nuanced. For instance. The author of the novel Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four (sometimes written as 1984) was George Orwell, who is increasingly quoted in recent years as prescient in his foreseeing modern times in his fictional writing. Orwell was a wanna-be socialist who ended up mocking socialism. As Forbes put it, “George Orwell was a rare individual, a socialist with worldly experience and a capacity for introspection.” As a segment of the New York Times put it, “Orwell was not the only man to be disillusioned with communism in Spain.”
Bear in mind what the History website said about this.
“Karl Marx and the Origins of Communism … In fact, Marxists often refer to socialism as the first, necessary phase on the way from capitalism to…” communism. That same source says “Under communism, there is no such thing as private property. All property is communally owned, and each person receives a portion based on what they need. A strong central government—the state—controls all aspects of economic production, and provides citizens with their basic necessities, including food, housing, medical care and education.”
That same source asserts that “By contrast, under socialism, individuals can still own property. But industrial production, or the chief means of generating wealth, is communally owned and managed by a democratically elected government.”
Let’s rephrase that this way. Karl Marx made socialism a middle step toward communism. Therefore, when someone thinks that they want socialism they are taking a step toward communism. Ask a pre-pandemic protestor in Hong Kong why they didn’t want to come under Communist Chinese rule. Or ask most Taiwanese Chinese the same question. Ask a member of the Falun Gong movement why they love the Chinese people, but distrust the feared Chinese Communist Party (CCP) government. As has been previously noted by MHProNews, the Epoch Times was founded by those who have numerous ties to China and the Falun Gong movement. They are strongly anti-communist. This recent video of theirs helps those who don’t understand why China should be feared to see it from an insider’s viewpoint.
Both secular and religious sources make it plain that the failures and consequences of both socialism and communism are devastating and deadly. One need look no farther than Cuba or Venezuela to see that once prosperous societies became impoverished under ‘socialist’ regimes, which in Cuba turned communist. In Communist China, tens of millions died and tens of millions more were brutally aborted by the central government’s “one child” per family policy.
Chinese communists modified their system with several crony capitalist elements in recent decades. American and other Western investments poured in to get cheap Chinese labor.
For those who understandably have angst over the residual impact of slavery in America, one must keep in mind several things. Slavery and serfdom have long been part of the history of nations of this world. American slavery is hardly unique. As MHProNews has previously referenced, citing various sources, blacks also owned slaves in America, and it was often African blacks who sold other blacks into slavery as part of the broader slave trade.
In more recent years, chattel slavery is less common, but still exists. What is often its substitute is “illegal” or foreign workers in nations where labor laws are not as robust as here in the U.S. The willingness of bigger American firms to outsource American jobs to countries with lower wages and labor protections mocks the very notion of economic justice. Some of those “limousine liberals” who decry racial or economic injustice are themselves participating through corporations and stock holdings in often seedy conditions where children or minorities are oppressed by a central government like that of Communist China.
Put differently, a disguise of true intentions has long been a part of the history of the world, not only in America, but in Europe, Latin America, Asia, or Africa. As the Capital Research Center puts it is often about “Deception and Misdirection.” It is not just Masonry that has its secrets. Socialists, Communists, and Crony Capitalists have their secrets too.
No truly caring person of whatever background or group who understands the history of Marxist, socialist, or communist history would freely opt to throw their freedoms away in favor of a system ruled by a few that use democratic trappings only to gain power. Nazis in Germany – National Socialists – ran for public office in free elections too. The Nazis had their brownshirts. In America today, there are self-proclaimed Marxists that co-founded Black Lives Matter (BLM) and there are so-called anti-fascists who are themselves guilty of what they accuse others of doing. Deception and misdirection indeed.
As Soheyla Kovach wrote in a letter published in several Florida newspapers and a branch of the USA Today network, she makes several key points. Note that the sources are routinely cited. The subheading was provided by the publisher.
It’s no secret these individuals share socialist,
Marxist or communist movement connections.
George Floyd’s tragic death was hijacked.
“Never let a serious crisis go to waste.” – Rahm Emanuel, former Mayor of Chicago.
“If this country doesn’t give us what we want, then we will burn down this system and replace it.” – Hawk Newsome, Chairman Black Lives Matter of Greater New York. Source: Newsweek.
“We are trained Marxists.” – Patrisse Cullors, Black Lives Matter Co-Founder. Source: progressive Real News interview.
“We know that in order to defend immigrants, protect DACA and defend our democracy, that Trump must be defeated this November.” – Cristina Jiménez, United We Dream Co-Founder. Source: NBC News.
“Yes, I think the statues of the white European they claim is Jesus should also come down. They are a form of white supremacy. Always have been.” – Shaun King tweet. Wikipedia says he’s the “co-founder of Real Justice PAC. King uses social media to promote social justice causes, including the Black Lives Matter movement.”
It’s no secret these individuals share socialist, Marxist or communist movement connections. Google their names, putting them in quotes, plus “Capital Research Center.” You’ll discover the sources for their funding. Donors include Warren Buffett, Bill Gates and George Soros.
Sheriff Grady Judd, Department of Justice Attorney General Bill Barr and President Donald Trump are leaders pushing back.
Soheyla Kovach, Lakeland”
The title provided by the publisher was “Leaders pushing back socialist movements.”
It bears mention that there are billionaires who are anti-socialist and those who are financially backing groups such as BLM and Antifa. That backing at times comes through so-called ‘dark money’ methods, which may mask or obscure who gave the money. President Trump isn’t the only anti-socialist billionaire in America. Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and George Soros are not the only billionaires backing such radical groups, or who are willing to invest money in Communist China.
Put differently, there are people who are willing to stoop to all sorts of devious “Deception and Misdirection” methods. There are honest and dishonest ways of earning money. There are also methods of earning money that skate close to the line and may cross ethics or the law in various ways.
This column began with the headline “A Masonic Journey.” It might have also had a headline “A Socialist Journey” or “A Crony Capitalist Journey” or any number of other possible headings that would have fit this content.
- Not every Mason in history is evil, but some did horrible things to their fellow countrymen, often under the guise of doing something good.
- Not everyone who thinks of themselves as pro-socialist, or pro-Democratic Socialist, realizes the horrific history of Marxism, socialism, and communism.
- Not every member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) realizes that they are – as an MHI board member told MHProNews – part of a group that is operating like a secret society.
Manufactured Housing Institute (MHI) Insiders – Secrets and Revelations, August 2020 – plus, Sunday Morning Headlines Review
Manufactured Housing Institute, MHI, Insiders, Secrets, Revelations, MHI operates like a secret society, Terry Decio, Art Decio, Time Magazine, Joe Stegmayer, Cavco Industries, Skyline Champion, Warren Buffett, Moat, Kevin Clayton, Andy Gedo, Tim Williams, CrossModTM, PissedConsumer, CEO Michael Podolsky, Danny Ghorbani, Mark Weiss, Manufactured Housing Assoc Regulatory Reform,
That buddy of mine who left Masonry and quit the Shriners after he sat down with his pastor — that man listened. As I recall, that friend read some material that his pastor gave him about Masonry and its history. As noted, what the specifics were, I can’t say. But that combination of reading and listening worked for that buddy.
One of the tragedies of our time involves a pattern that is playing out in manufactured housing, but is very much at play in various ways in other industries too. There is a case to be made that our industry is more manipulated than several others. But the moat-building strategies of Warren Buffett that Bill Gates once de facto claims he decried are most certainly operating in American society well beyond affordable housing and HUD Code manufactured homes role in it.
If a person or group can get someone or several individuals to do certain things, there is a kind of psychological glue that sets in.
- If someone contributes to a campaign – even a dollar – they are more like to support and vote for that person. It’s obvious, but it is an important detail to note.
- If someone begins to espouse a certain political, organizational, or religious view and gets involved, they are more likely to stick with that group. A social glue steadily sets in.
- If someone starts reading certain kinds of publications or tunes into a specific news channel, they are more likely to stick with it.
The list can go on, but that is sufficient to make the point that Warren Buffett was right about the chains of habit. Buffett was not the first to make that observation, nor will he be the last.
I’ve had friends and colleagues who are Masons, self-described socialists, or are members of this or that group, church, or political party. One ought to agree with former President Barack Obama’s statement below.
Someone should also agree with the former president’s next quote, which is arguably correct too.
But his is arguably the method of those who palter. I would not trust Mr. Obama in most instances. As a candidate, he postured and made promises as a candidate that he routinely and blithely contradicted once in office. Promises on healthcare turned out to be a clever lie as one of the architects of his plan Johnathan Gruber admits in public on video below. Lies are useful at times was part of Gruber’s stunning but accurate statement.
Then Obama said there wasn’t a smidgeon of corruption at the IRS against conservatives who opposed his plans. Years later, the testimony and evidence indicate otherwise. Amazon Prime members can watch a different version of the topic that follows, which laces together statements made by those who were targeted by the Obama-Biden Administration, testimony to Congress, news footage, and the eventual legal victory that they obtained.
President Obama promised his supporters to have the most transparent administration in American history, but his team used tactics that would cause his supporters to blanch if they took the time to study and understand the difference between the promises and the realities that followed. Mr. Obama pledged to do away with cronyism, but he sold out to Warren Buffett, big tech, and others. Once out of office, Mr. Obama and his wife Michelle became fabulously rich. Can we call that a payoff for services performed?
Not every conspiracy or secret society operates in secret. What some call conspiracies simply involve common interests.
Among the common threads in this column here are the notion of “Deception and Misdirection.” That phrase from CRC fits so much of what has been occurring in American politics and ‘big business’ for decades. But another common thread is a steady diet of propaganda and counting on habits to take hold and set in.
After I moved from Oklahoma, my formerly Masonic buddy and I lost touch years ago. In hindsight, his business ended up sliding out from under him for reasons similar to what has occurred to thousands of independents in manufactured housing.
When someone gets paid to do X, and they are satisfied with that compensation, it is easy for the mind to justify behavior. We take pains to note that one must apply the principle of separating the wheat from the chaff with all people, groups, and things. For instance, not everyone in MHI is evil, but some are willing to do and say treacherous things, all while smiling, laughing, or eating a meal with their next victim.
The good gals and guys at MHI are like that buddy of mine who was a Mason. They are there for cover but are also useful in other ways. MHProNews reported some time ago that MHI is Buffett’s Buffet. It is arguably the place where consolidators attract independents who they hope to either acquire or if need be, steadily drive out of business.
Most of this is quite in the open. Sometimes the best place to hide is in plain sight. These facts are there for anyone who has eyes to see and ears to hear. My formerly Masonic buddy had the character and integrity needed to realize he was involved in something that didn’t align with his Christian values. Rather than live a dual life, he quit the Masons.
That may have been hard on him for a time. He made friends within Masonry and in the Shriners. Additionally, no one wants to admit that they’ve been misled or used. That’s arguably part of the clever treachery of Buffett, Gates, Soros, socialists, communists, and their ilk. Get someone into a habit, a pattern, and it is hard to break free of those chains of habit.
But those habitual chains can be broken. We mortals do have free will. Discipline and desire to do what is right which the evidence reveals are how that’s accomplished.
My friend’s journey is, to some degree, your’s and mine too. We have all at various times in our lives been wrong about some person, wrong about some group, wrong about whatever. It takes character to change at such occasions.
With an election just weeks away, ponder how deviously the powers that be in our nation have operated. They’ve tried to make President Trump and his supporters nearly toxic by a nearly endless stream of allegations which time and again were debunked. But by doing so nearly endlessly, in many cases, those spinning the propaganda have been successful. Propaganda is used because it works.
That doesn’t mean that President Trump is a saint. He’s not. But there is no doubt that unlike George W. Bush (Republican) or Barack H. Obama (Democrat), POTUS Trump has sought to deliver on his promises to all Americans. That willingness to follow up on campaign promises that undermines a corrupted system is logically a threat to the powers that be, the so-called “Establishment” GOP and Democrats. That’s why several McCain and Bush Republicans hate President Trump as much as certain higher-level Democrats and their mutual billionaire backers do.
When someone wakes up from a dream or nightmare, it is prudent to realize that it wasn’t real. Much of what millions have been told is the modern version of the Big Bold Lie.
Pay more attention to what people do than to what they say. Then follow the evidence and the motivators, such as money. A former Mason made that journey. Former socialists and Clinton-Obama-Biden Democrats and Bush Republicans have made that journey too.
If these people take power, a look at history reveals that what is occurring in so many American cities today will only get worse. The revolution that involved Masons was bloody in Mexico. The Jacobins and their reign of terror was bloody in France. What communists did, as the graphics above document, was bloodier still in Communist China. It is bloody in Venezuela and it was deadly in Cuba. The only reason that this Big Lie works is because so much of the media is under the sway – or afraid to challenge – the prevailing narrative. Who says? How about dozens of those involved in big media?
A growing number of Americans don’t buy the lie.
Don’t let past habits that may have been based on “Deception and Misdirection” dictate the course of your life.
Trevor Loudon’s “Who’s Who of House Pro-Socialists…Is Your Representative On The List?” Plus, Manufactured Housing Investing, Stock Updates
There are any number of reasons why manufactured housing should be surging instead of struggling as it has been for some 15 (+/-) years. The headline report is potentially one of them, but first let’s consider some other points.
It is not only your life and future that are at stake, it is that of those whom you know, like, and love. Freedom is never free.
Deception and misdirection have been around for thousands of years.
Freedom must be fought for, cherished, and defended against those who would undermine your liberties and cheat or steal you of your property and rights.
[cp_popup display=”inline” style_id=”139941″ step_id = “1”][/cp_popup]
The powers that be that pay for the lies are counting on the fact that enough people – like you and me – will fall for it that they win in the aftermath of voting on November 3, 2020. Disappoint them.
Joe Biden is right about one thing. This is a battle for the soul of America.
There is always more to come, so stay tuned with the runaway number one source for authentic “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHProNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing.
For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com.
This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Related References:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Skyline Champion President, CEO Mark Yost & Manufactured Housing Institute CEO Lesli Gooch, Ph.D, in White House Photo Op Featuring President Trump and VP Pence
In an emailed statement, “[Manufactured Housing Institute] has published enough razzle- the past 3 years to wallpaper an entire house and have some leftover.” So said an association connected source in response to the Arlington, VA based trade group MHI, which touted for their readers their latest photo opportunity at a White House deregulatory event featuring President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence.
Fear & Frustration – Constitutionality of Business, Religious Shutdowns, Other Restrictions Challenged, plus Sunday Headlines Review 6.28 to 7.5.2020
For two months running, job creation – or recreation – has outpaced expectations. The hope of a so-called V shaped recovery have been growing. But has media across the left-right media divide have reported, the numbers of newly reported daily cases of COVID19 has surged past 55,000, according to the l eft-of-center NPR.
Complaints to State and Federal Officials, Agencies About Corrupt Practices in Manufactured Housing Industry Growing
Manufactured Home Professional News ( MHProNews) has recently been provided evidence of several complaints to state and federal officials and agencies of purportedly corrupt and illegal practices in manufactured housing. The sources for that statement includes residents, professionals and public officials.
Kevin Clayton, CEO Clayton Homes, Explains Why Replacing Sales Professionals with Automation Makes Sense
” Our greatest assets are our team members, and we are committed to continually improving their lives. Whether investing in leadership initiatives, or improving our facilities, we believe the only way you can create a world-class customer experience is by first creating a world-class team member experience .”
Epic! Creating 200,000 New MH Homesites in 4 Years; Allegations of Corruption by Fannie, Freddie, Others in Duty to Serve Manufactured Housing Law
The word “historic” or “epic” can often mean “inspiring” in specific contexts. The historically tough resolve of those who died defending a monastery against Mexican invaders became the battle cry ” Remember the Alamo” that led to Sam Houston’s upset victory against Santa Anna’s force that had double the numbers of the Texan soldiers.
In Manufactured Housing’s COVID19 War, MHARR Wins A Battle – Retailers, Installers & Transporters Alert
Governor Andrew Cuomo (NY-D) and President Donald J. Trump (GOP) are among those who have called the fight against the Wuhan Virus a war against an invisible enemy. While the metaphor fits in some ways, an argument can be made that the enemies in this war are both visible and invisible.
