With the recent events in Littleton, Colorado, that resulted in such tragic loss of life, we find ourselves wondering how this could happen. One thing seems obvious. The lack of morality and total disregard for human life exhibited by the perpetrators of this senseless act have sent shock waves across America. Clearly, the principles taught by our beloved Fraternity must be spread throughout the land in an effort to instill core values among our young people.

In the ensuing weeks and months, many will offer their solutions designed to prevent this terrible event from recurring. Undoubtedly, blame will be placed on a myriad of things. Most of these are directly based on the proponent’s political point of view. Typical ideas are additional gun control, more safeguards on the Internet, increased metal detectors and security in the schools, even arming teachers. These ideas form the political debate, but when all is said and done, much more will be said than done. We do need to regain control of our schools and make them places of safety where learning and development can flourish. We must also do much more.

Freemasonry teaches through its tenets of Brotherly Love, Relief, and Truth that we should love one another, soothe the unhappy, ease the troubled, and always be true and faithful to our word. These same principles have formed the foundation of moral societies from time immemorial. Through our Masonic youth organizations, we teach similar principles and instill in our young people those values we hold so dear. A believer offers passive assent to a particular set of values whether they are associated with his or her religion or some other worthy institution or cause. The believer may even regulate his or her life according to these dictates and espouse these values when queried. A doer, on the other hand, has a fire in the belly, is consumed with the doctrine, and zealously attempts to spread the word and so order his or her life as to instill these same values in others.

Most Masons find no difficulty believing in these moral principles. No argument is uttered about their sincerity and benefit. What is lacking, in my opinion, is sufficient numbers of those who might be classified as doers, those who truly live Masonry. These are the Brothers who, through their daily actions, exhibit Masonry’s tenets in all they do. They volunteer their time, not for honors or glory given by the Fraternity, but to help humankind. They sponsor chapters of DeMolay and Rainbow for Girls as well as Bethels of Job’s Daughters. They support with their dollars and time the Scottish Rite’s Childhood Language Disorders Clinics, the Shriners Hospitals, and other Masonic philanthropies. They teach not only their own children and grandchildren, but offer a helping hand, loving guidance, and a kind word to all.

Our children need the love and compassion that can only be rendered through giving of our time. We must teach our children right from wrong and assure them that we are all in this thing together. We must show them that we are caring adults and that, regardless of the outcome, they are still the best hope for the future. We must attune our thoughts to those guiding principles upon which this country was founded. We must ensure domestic tranquility and guarantee that our children can enjoy those inalienable rights set forth in our Declaration of Independence. We must teach and practice that all people are created equal in the eyes of God and that all have the right to the pursuit of happiness, not happiness itself; the right to freedom of religion, not freedom from religion. Masonry has much to offer in this vein, but we need doers, not just believers.

John R. "Jack" McConnell has served as Worshipful Master of Honshu Lodge No. 8 in Kunitachi, Japan (1978) and Tejon Lodge No. 104 in Colorado Springs, Colorado (1998). A member of the Scottish Rite Bodies of Colorado Springs–Pueblo, Colorado, he is currently Secretary of Tejon Lodge and a member of the Executive Board of Southern Colorado Consistory. Self-employed as an electronic engineer, Bro. McConnell specializes in communications and network design.