I think they look at the commonalities between the clubs and assume that the Rotarians and Lions, which have chapters in the Middle East and are therefore heard of and known, must be kinda like the Masons in that they have induction ceremonies. The Lions actually are pretty active here in Egypt. Guess they don't have this memo that they are a Zionist plot.

Anna,

Very interesting, thanks. Have you ever heard anyone speak about Rotary Clubs (or Lions, or Masons) as somehow behind US/Israeli foreign policy?

I can't decide which is crazier -- these beliefs about Rotary Clubs, or standard American beliefs about the Middle East. Maybe it's a tie.

It's also hard to say which are funnier. Of course, both would be more amusing if they didn't involve lots of people dying.

Jonathan,
No, I have not heard anything sinister about the Lions, though I have heard a lot of conspiracy theories involving the Masons, but like you said that is not new nor is it specific to the Middle East. Once, I cared enough to argue with people about it. Now, I really don't have the energy.

You are right that it would be just plain ha ha funny if the people who believed it were not capable of blowing things up.

As President of the RC Brussels Coudenberg we try to start a first Rotary Club in Muscat Oman. This would be the first club in the Gulf created by local professionnals, not by expats (as in Dubai). One member of our Brussels Club has good contacts in Oman. This operation takes a lot of time and there is a great discusssion inside the Oman ruling class in order to admit this club and how. They are willing to do so, but your article throws a new light on the complexity of the reasonings behind such a discussion, complexity we are in fact not always aware of.

W. Kiernan,

I don't appreciate your "joke" about THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE FACING HUMANKIND. All I can say is, when the Rotarians come for you, and are Rotating you without mercy, don't ask for help from we in the anti-Rotary underground.

Anna,

I understand what you say about not having the energy. Crazy people the world over are exhausting. I wish we could send them all to their own little planet. Then they could happily blow each other up for all eternity, leaving us here in peace.

Frans,

Thanks for this extremely interesting information about Oman, Dubai, etc. I've become so curious about this subject I may write something about it for a real publication. If so, I'll probably be in touch with you directly to discuss it further if you have time.

In the meantime... what ARE Rotary Clubs, exactly? What is it you do, besides secretly ruling the world? All I know about Rotary Clubs is that one sponsored my baseball team when I was nine.

Speaking of which, I'd appreciate it if you and your Rotarian comrades would stop controlling my mind.

Jonathan,
Probably someone somewhere was rejected for membership in a Rotary Club. What have you found on Skull and Bones?
You know, when I got out of high school and had no plans and not a clue, I wanted to go live in Europe for a year, so I talked to the local Rotary Club and they exchanged me with an Italian kid who wanted to live in the US for a year. We thus established dark connections between two infidel lands.

as far as i have read,masonism was born in israel.there was a mason and his workers.the mason teaches his workers some phylosophy.and they become a lodge,a community.then they begin to spread in to the world.according to many comments,masonism or rotarianism(i dont think they are different things,they involve in eachother.they just find different names to seem like a new thing to escape from grudge)is a jewish sect.their goal is to spread jewism and to take the control of the world.nobody can refuse iraq's occupation has no tie with this phylosophies.israel,iraq and aphganistan are taken by zionists.syria and iran are in a great danger.us forces have bases in qatar,which is so strategic.and they also have bases in turkey and even in saudi arabia's deserts.so syria and iran are in the middle of a zionist circle.they obey whatever they are told to do.but sooner or later they will have to defend their countries against occupiers.syria would give up easily but iran is stronger.after those i doubt occupiers will start looking at turkey for gold and boron resources.and they have a big opportunity for them:nearly10million kurds in turkey.like it was done in iraq,ignorant kurds could be american servants.they can be fooled easily since they are so ignorant and they are promised for independent kurdistan including southeast of turkey,north of syria,north of iraq and north of iran.and usa will reach its goal by establishing this country which is totally under its control.usa wont let them real independence.and when kurds realize their resources are exploited by usa,and when they notice they have been fooled,it will be too late.they will be even poorer and more ignorant than they are now.some kurdish dads will live in welfare but their sons,grandchilds will suffer because of their stupidity.usa never works for somebody's good,but for his own good.and european countries dont have to think this will never spread to them.it has already spreaded and the turn will be europe after middle east is taken.we see european people are more sensible and they protest occupations much more than muslim countries.since muslim countries are fighting against poverty,they cant think of bigger matters.they just think of saving the day.but in muslim countries,people have become much more sensible to this topic from the occupations.millions of people dont drink cocacola,dont go to mc donalds,try not to use american goods as much as they can.so things are going better.every bad thing,has a goodness.these occupations caused middleeast people to wake up from american dream.i hope these torture will never be forgotten.muslim,christian,budist,totemist or anything else.it doesnt matter.zionism is all the world's enemy.people who have profit of zionism are not more than 2or3million.they even steal the money of american people.they fool american people.they will lose american people's support sooner or later.people in usa will learn the truth.they will notice not everything is like they are told by their press,tv channels,newspapers,hollywood movies.press is used as a weapon by zionists.to increase their supporters,and to hide their cruelty.but there is something called internet.and people can share their opinions with eachother.and anybody can learn anything.thanks to internet.

said,

Thanks for the comment. Please get back in touch as soon as your brain stops malfunctioning.

Free masons have nothing to do with masonry.Literaly. Haven't any of you heard about The Knights Templars? Don't you have a clue about how masonry came about? Then do your homework before coming to conclusions about the issue. Also, read Jewish Supremacism by David Duke. The Americans especially need to be aware of what's happening to their country.
And jonathan, muslims are not out to destroy america or americans. They do not have a problem with freedom or democracy. If they did, they would have long waged war on icland and switzerland and many other long standing democratic nations of the world. But they don't. They only have a problem with america's foriegn policy that supports israel. And they have there reasons. You would too if you were a palestinian driven out of your homeland and land of your ancestors. If only people would try and make an effort to understand why people do what they do this world would be a much better place.

As a member of Rotary, I can help out with what exactly it is (but not the bizarre fascination with it you've highlighted!).

Rotary is basically a fellowship and service organisation - a group of professionals who get together weekly and think of ways to serve the community. This can be internationally or locally, and it could be building a school library, digging a well, running a debating competition, holding a fundraising night, volunteering at a local shelter, awarding a scholarship, whatever they like. They also have an emphasis on meeting new people, and a lot of their programmes aim to promote global friendship and understanding.

On a global scale, here's an example of what the organisation does: Rotary is the only private agency to be involved with the eradication of polio. After 20 years, $500 million, and thousands of volunteers, there are only six countries left in the world not polio-free, and it's estimated that in another 4 years it will be gone altogether. Which is a pretty great achievement.

Rotary organises large-scale ongoing responses to the tsunami, the earthquake in Pakistan, and aid in Africa... but it's different from aid agencies in that its made up of local people in every area - so there are members on the ground from towns in Kashmir and Pakistan (doctors, accountants, shopkeepers, teachers) who work with other members around the world to bring in resources and funding for the area.

There are Rotary clubs in 167 countries now, including Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt and Kyrgyzstan, and as a secular organisation it has members of every major world religion. It's an easy-going kind of charitable group and it's very transparent, so for more info see www.rotary.org

I've heard a few people lump it in with the Stonemasons (including my mother when I first joined!) but I think that's just because its a group of people who meet up and have badges. Or something.