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Dear Editor:

After opening a copy of the Jan. 29 Daily Egyptian, I was intrigued to find an article titled "The trouble with the Masons is…" As I began to read the piece, I was very surprised at some of the allegations made by Mr. Wolfe. As a member of the Masonic fraternity, I was very surprised at the tone and content of the article, especially considering it appeared in a respected publication.

Aside from the needless name-dropping of Mayor Cole (who had no relation to the rest of the piece) and the fact that the piece is an illustration of the complete abdication of journalistic principles, the sole authority the author relies on is debunked as little more than a work of fiction. Even a simple search on Wikipedia shows "The Hiram Key" to be widely regarded as an anti-Masonic publication.

Many authorities criticize "The Hiram Key," including the leading Masonic research body, the Quatuor Coronati Lodge, as having a lack of critical assessment of sources and the use of symbolic ritual as a statement of fact. Further "The Hiram Key" has been described as a "presentation of opinion as fact that does both Freemasonry and the academic study of Masonic history a disservice."

For a more informative view, I would suggest that Mr. Wolfe check the credibility of his sources before he makes such profound statements regarding an organization or subject of which he has little or no knowledge.

Further, I found the anti-Masonic tone of the piece highly offensive. When writers makes such crass and insensitive statements without ensuring the accuracy of the sources for such statements, it derides not only your publication but also the university as a whole.

Kyle Stevens

second-year law student

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