Skull and Bones, the Ivy League, and the Hidden Paths of Power

THE TODA SHO!

http://www.msnbc.com/news/802773.asp?cp1=1 Sept. 4 Inside a cold !o"ebodin# st"$ct$"e o! b"own sandstone in %ew &a'en (onn. li'es one o! the most hea'il) sh"o$ded sec"et societies in *me"ican histo"). +ale,s s$pe"-elite S.$ll and /ones a 200-)ea"-old o"#ani0ation whose "oste" is stoc.ed with some o! the co$nt"),s most p"ominent !amilies: /$sh &a""iman 1helps 2oc.e!elle" 3a!t and 4hitne). 5o$"nalist *le6and"a 2obbins he"sel! a membe" o! anothe" o! +ale,s sec"et societies inte"'iewed mo"e than a h$nd"ed /onesmen and w"ites abo$t the "it$als that ma.e $p the o"#ani0ation. 2ead an e6ce"pt !"om he" boo. 73he Sec"ets o! the 3omb, below. S.$ll and /ones the I') 8ea#$e and the &idden 1aths o! 1owe" b) *le6and"a 2obbins

THE LE"E#D O$ S%&LL A#D BO#ES

Sometime in the ea"l) 1830s a +ale st$dent named 4illiam &.2$ssellthe !$t$"e 'aledicto"ian o! the class o! 1833- t"a'eled to9e"man) to st$d) !o" a )ea". 2$ssell came !"om an ino"dinatel) wealth) !amil) that "an one o! *me"ica,s most despicable b$siness o"#ani0ations o! the nineteenth cent$"): 2$ssell and (ompan) an opi$m empi"e. 2$ssell wo$ld late" become a membe" o! the (onnectic$t state le#islat$"e a #ene"al in the (onnectic$t %ational 9$a"d and the !o$nde" o! the (olle#iate and (omme"cial Instit$te in %ew &a'en. 4hile in 9e"man) 2$ssell be!"iended the leade" o! an insidio$s 9e"man sec"et societ) that hailed the death,s head as its lo#o. 2$ssell soon became ca$#ht $p in this #"o$p itsel! a siniste" o$t#"owth o! the noto"io$s ei#hteenth-cent$") societ) the Ill$minati. 4hen 2$ssell "et$"ned to the :nited States he !o$nd an atmosphe"e so *nti-;asonic that e'en his belo'ed 1hi /eta <appa the hono" societ) had been $nce"emonio$sl) st"ipped o! its sec"ec). Incensed 2$ssell "o$nded $p a #"o$p o! the most p"omisin# st$dents in his class-incl$din# *lphonso 3a!t the !$t$"e sec"eta") o! wa" atto"ne) #ene"al ministe" to *$st"ia ambassado" to 2$ssia and !athe" o! !$t$"e p"esident 4illiam &owa"d 3a!t-and o$t o! 'en#eance const"$cted the most powe"!$l sec"et societ) the :nited States has e'e" .nown.

ale's se(ret so(iety e)*osed

Septembe" 4 2002 5o$"nalist and a$tho" *le6and"a 2obbins disc$sses he" boo. =Sec"ets o! the 3omb: S.$ll and /ones the I') 8ea#$e and the &idden 1aths o! 1owe"> with =3oda),s> *nn ($""). 3he men called thei" o"#ani0ation the /"othe"hood o! ?eath o" mo"e in!o"mall) the @"de" o! S.$ll and /ones. 3he) adopted the n$me"olo#ical s)mbol 322 beca$se thei"

#"o$p was the second chapte" o! the 9e"man o"#ani0ation and !o$nded in 1832. 3he) wo"shiped the #oddess A$lo#ia celeb"ated pi"ates and plotted an $nde"#"o$nd conspi"ac) to dominate the wo"ld. Bast-!o"wa"d 170 )ea"s. S.$ll and /ones has c$"led its tentacles into e'e") co"ne" o! *me"ican societ). 3his tin) cl$b has set $p netwo".s that ha'e th"$st th"ee membe"s into the most powe"!$l political position in the wo"ld. *nd the #"o$p,s in!l$ence is onl) inc"easin#-the 2004 p"esidential election mi#ht showcase the !i"st time each tic.et has been led b) a /onesman. 3he sec"et societ) is now as one histo"ian admonishes > 7an inte"national ma!ia,. . . $n"e#$lated and all b$t $n.nown.> In its C$est to c"eate a %ew 4o"ld @"de" that "est"icts indi'id$al !"eedoms and places $ltimate powe" solel) in the hands o! a small c$lt o! wealth) p"ominent !amilies S.$ll and /ones has al"ead) s$cceeded in in!ilt"atin# nea"l) e'e") maDo" "esea"ch polic) !inancial media and #o'e"nment instit$tion in the co$nt"). S.$ll and /ones in !act has been "$nnin# the :nited States !o" )ea"s. S.$ll and /ones c$lti'ates its talent b) selectin# membe"s !"om the D$nio" class at +ale :ni'e"sit) a school .nown !o" its st"an#e 9othic elitism and its "i#id de'otion to the past. 3he societ) sc"eens its candidates ca"e!$ll) !a'o"in# 1"otestants and now white (atholics with special a!!ection !o" the child"en o! wealth) Aast (oast S.$ll and /ones membe"s. S.$ll and /ones has been dominated b) abo$t two do0en o! the co$nt"),s most p"ominent !amilies/$sh /$nd) &a""iman 8o"d 1helps 2oc.e!elle" 3a!t and 4hitne) amon# themwho a"e enco$"a#ed b) the societ) to inte"ma"") so that its powe" is consolidated. In !act S.$ll and /ones !o"ces membe"s to con!ess thei" enti"e se6$al histo"ies so that the cl$b as a e$#enics o'e"lo"d can dete"mine whethe" a new /onesman will be !it to min#le with the bloodlines o! the powe"!$l S.$ll and /ones d)nasties. * "ebel will not ma.e S.$ll and /onesE no" will an)one whose bac.#"o$nd in an) wa) indicates that he will not sac"i!ice !o" the #"eate" #ood o! the la"#e" o"#ani0ation. *s soon as initiates a"e allowed into the =tomb > a da". windowless c")pt in %ew &a'en with a "oo! that se"'es as a landin# pad !o" the societ),s p"i'ate helicopte" the) a"e swo"n to silenceand told the) m$st !o"e'e" den) that the) a"e membe"s o! this o"#ani0ation. ?$"in# initiation which in'ol'es "it$alistic ps)cholo#ical conditionin# the D$nio"s w"estle in m$d and a"e ph)sicall) beatenthis sta#e o! the ce"emon) "ep"esents thei" =death> to the wo"ld as the) ha'e .nown it. 3he) then lie na.ed in co!!ins mast$"bate and "e'eal to the societ) thei" inne"most se6$al sec"ets. *!te" this cleansin# the /onesmen #i'e the initiates "obes to "ep"esent thei" new identities as indi'id$als with a hi#he" p$"pose. 3he societ) anoints the initiate with a new name s)mboli0in# his "ebi"th and "ech"istenin# as <ni#ht F a membe" o! the @"de". It is d$"in# this initiation that the new membe"s a"e int"od$ced to the a"ti!acts in the tomb amon# them %a0i memo"abiliaincl$din# a set o! &itle",s sil'e"wa"e-do0ens o! s.$lls and an asso"tment o! deco"ati'e tchotch.es: co!!ins s.eletons and inna"ds. 3he) a"e also int"od$ced to =the /ones who"e > the tomb,s onl) !$ll-time "esident who helps to ens$"e that the /onesmen lea'e the tomb mo"e mat$"e than when the) ente"ed. ;embe"s o! S.$ll and /ones m$st ma.e some sac"i!ices to the societ)and the) a"e th"eatened with blac.mail so that the) "emain lo)alb$t the) a"e "em$ne"ated with

hono"s and "ewa"ds incl$din# a #"ad$ation #i!t o! G1H 000 and a weddin# #i!t o! a tall #"and!athe" cloc.. 3ho$#h the) m$st tithe thei" estates to the societ) each membe" is #$a"anteed !inancial sec$"it) !o" li!eE in this wa) /ones can ens$"e that no membe" will !eel the need to sell the sec"ets o! the societ) in o"de" to ma.e a li'in#. *nd it wo".s: %o one has p$blicl) b"eathed a wo"d abo$t his S.$ll and /ones membe"ship e'e". /onesmen a"e a$tomaticall) o!!e"ed Dobs at the man) in'estment ban.s and law !i"ms dominated b) thei" sec"et societ) b"othe"s. 3he) a"e also #i'en e6cl$si'e access to the S.$ll and /ones island a l$sh "et"eat b$ilt !o" millionai"es with a la'ish mansion and a be') o! women at the membe"s, disposal. 3he in!l$ence o! the cabal be#ins at +ale whe"e S.$ll and /ones has app"op"iated $ni'e"sit) !$nds !o" its own $se lea'in# the school 'i"t$all) impo'e"ished. S.$ll and /ones, co"po"ate shell the 2$ssell 3"$st *ssociation owns nea"l) all o! the $ni'e"sit),s "eal estate as well as most o! the land in (onnectic$t. S.$ll and /ones has cont"olled +ale,s !ac$lt) and camp$s p$blications so that st$dents cannot spea. openl) abo$t it. =+ea" b) )ea" > the camp$s,s onl) anti-societ) p$blication stated d$"in# its b"ie! ten$"e in 1873 =the deadl) e'il is #"owin#.> 3he )ea" in the tomb at +ale instills within membe"s an $nwa'e"in# lo)alt) to S.$ll and /ones. ;embe"s ha'e been .nown to stab thei" S.$ll and /ones pins into thei" s.in to .eep them in place d$"in# swimmin# o" bathin#. 3he .ni#hts Ias the st$dent membe"s a"e calledJ lea"n C$ic.l) that thei" alle#iance to the societ) m$st s$pe"sede all else: !amil) !"iendships co$nt") 9od. 3he) a"e ta$#ht that once the) #et o$t into the wo"ld the) a"e e6pected to "each positions o! p"ominence so that the) can !$"the" ele'ate the societ),s stat$s and help p"omote the standin# o! thei" !ellow /onesmen. 3his p$"pose has d"i'en /onesmen to ascend to the top le'els o! so man) !ields that as one histo"ian obse"'es =at an) one time 3he @"de" can call on membe"s in an) a"ea o! *me"ican societ) to do what has to be done.> Se'e"al /onesmen ha'e been senato"s con#"essmen S$p"eme (o$"t D$stices and (abinet o!!icials. 3he"e is a /ones cell in the (I* which $ses the societ) as a "ec"$itin# #"o$nd beca$se the membe"s a"e so ob'io$sl) adept at .eepin# sec"ets. Societ) membe"s dominate !inancial instit$tions s$ch as 5. 1. ;o"#an ;o"#an Stanle) ?ean 4itte" and /"own /"othe"s &a""iman whe"e at one time mo"e than a thi"d o! the pa"tne"s we"e /onesmen. 3h"o$#h these companies S.$ll and /ones p"o'ided !inancial bac.in# to *dol! &itle" beca$se the societ) then !ollowed a %a0i-and now !ollows a neo-%a0i doct"ine. *t least a do0en /onesmen ha'e been lin.ed to the Bede"al 2ese"'e incl$din# the !i"st chai"man o! the %ew +o". Bede"al 2ese"'e. S.$ll and /ones membe"s cont"ol the wealth o! the 2oc.e!elle" (a"ne#ie and Bo"d !amilies. S.$ll and /ones has also ta.en steps to cont"ol the *me"ican media. 3wo o! its membe"s !o$nded the law !i"m that "ep"esents the %ew +o". 3imes. 1lans !o" both 3ime and %ewswee. ma#a0ines we"e hatched in the S.$ll and /ones tomb. 3he societ) has cont"olled p$blishin# ho$ses s$ch as Ba""a" St"a$s K 9i"o$6. In the 1880s S.$ll and /ones c"eated the *me"ican &isto"ical *ssociation the *me"ican 1s)cholo#ical *ssociation and the *me"ican Aconomic *ssociation so that the

societ) co$ld ens$"e that histo") wo$ld be w"itten $nde" its te"ms and p"omote its obDecti'es. 3he societ) then installed its own membe"s as the p"esidents o! these associations. :nde" the societ),s di"ection /onesmen de'eloped and d"opped the n$clea" bomb and cho"eo#"aphed the /a) o! 1i#s in'asion. S.$ll and /ones membe"s had ties to 4ate"#ate and the <enned) assassination. 3he) cont"ol the (o$ncil on Bo"ei#n 2elations and the 3"ilate"al (ommission so that the) can p$sh thei" own political a#enda. S.$ll and /ones #o'e"nment o!!icials ha'e $sed the n$mbe" 322 as codes !o" hi#hl) classi!ied diplomatic assi#nments. 3he societ) disc"iminates a#ainst mino"ities and !o$#ht !o" sla'e")E indeed ei#ht o$t o! twel'e o! +ale,s "esidential colle#es a"e named !o" sla'e owne"s while none a"e named !o" abolitionists. 3he societ) enco$"a#es miso#)n): it did not admit women $ntil the 1LL0s beca$se membe"s did not belie'e women we"e capable o! handlin# the S.$ll and /ones e6pe"ience and beca$se the) said the) !ea"ed incidents o! date "ape. 3his societ) also enco$"a#es #"a'e "obbin#: deep within the bowels o! the tomb a"e the stolen s.$lls o! the *pache chie! 9e"onimo 1ancho Milla and !o"me" p"esident ;a"tin Man /$"en. Binall) the societ) has ta.en meas$"es to ens$"e that the sec"ets o! S.$ll and /ones slip $n#"aspable li.e sand th"o$#h open !in#e"s. 5o$"nalist 2on 2osenba$m who w"ote a lon# b$t not p"obin# a"ticle abo$t the societ) in the 1L70s claimed that a so$"ce wa"ned him not to #et too close. =4hat ban. do )o$ ha'e )o$" chec.in# acco$nt at?> this pa"t) as.ed me in the middle o! a disc$ssion o! the ;ith"aic aspects o! the /ones "it$al. I named the ban.. =*ha > said the pa"t). =3he"e a"e th"ee /onesmen on the boa"d. +o$,ll ne'e" ha'e a line o! c"edit a#ain. 3he),ll tap )o$" phone. 3he),ll. . . > . . .3he so$"ce contin$ed: =3he al$mni still ca"e. ?on,t la$#h. 3he) don,t li.e people tampe"in# and p")in#. 3he powe" o! /ones is inc"edible. 3he),'e #ot thei" hands on e'e") le'e" o! powe" in the co$nt"). +o$,ll see it,s li.e t")in# to loo. into the ;a!ia.> In the 1L80s a man .nown onl) as Ste'e had cont"acts to w"ite two boo.s on the societ) $sin# doc$ments and photo#"aphs he had acC$i"ed !"om the /ones c")pt. /$t S.$ll and /ones !o$nd o$t abo$t Ste'e. Societ) membe"s b"o.e into his apa"tment stole the doc$ments ha"assed the wo$ld-be a$tho" and sca"ed him into hidin# whe"e he has "emained e'e" since. 3he boo.s we"e ne'e" completed. In :ni'e"sal 1ict$"es, th"ille" 3he S.$lls I2000J an aspi"in# Do$"nalist is w"itin# a p"o!ile o! the societ) !o" the %ew +o". 3imes. 4hen he snea.s into the tomb the S.$lls m$"de" him. 3he "eal S.$ll and /ones tomb displa)s a blood) .ni!e in a #lass case. It is said that when a /onesman stole doc$ments and th"eatened to p$blish societ) sec"ets i! the membe"s did not pa) him a dete"mined amo$nt o! mone) the) $sed that .ni!e to .ill him. 3his then is the le#end o! S.$ll and /ones. It is astonishin# that so man) people contin$e to belie'e e'en in twent)-!i"st-cent$") *me"ica that a tin) colle#e cl$b wields s$ch an eno"mo$s amo$nt o! in!l$ence on the wo"ld,s onl) s$pe"powe". 3he

b"eadth o! clo$t asc"ibed to this o"#ani0ation is p"acticall) as wide-"an#in# as the le'e"a#e o! the sati"ical sec"et societ) the Stonec$tte"s int"od$ced in an episode o! 3he Simpsons. 3he Stonec$tte"s theme son# incl$ded the l)"ics: 4ho cont"ols the /"itish c"own? 4ho .eeps the met"ic s)stem down? 4e doN 4e do. . . 4ho holds bac. the elect"ic ca"? 4ho ma.es Ste'e 9$ttenbe"# a sta"? 4e doN 4e do. (e"tainl) S.$ll and /ones does c"oss bo$nda"ies in o"de" to attempt to sta) o$t o! the p$blic spotli#ht. 4hen I w"ote an a"ticle abo$t the societ) !o" the *tlantic ;onthl) in ;a) 2000 an olde" /onesman said to me =I! it,s not po"t"a)ed positi'el) I,m sendin# a co$ple o! m) !"iends a!te" )o$.> *!te" the a"ticle was p$blished I "ecei'ed a telephone call at m) o!!ice !"om a !ellow Do$"nalist who is a membe" o! S.$ll and /ones. &e scolded me !o" w"itin# the a"ticle>w"itin# that a"ticle was not an ethical o" hono"able wa) to ma.e a decent li'in# in Do$"nalism > he condescended and then as.ed me how m$ch I had been paid !o" the sto"). 4hen I "e!$sed to answe" he h$n# $p. Bi!teen min$tes late" he called bac.. =I ha'e D$st #otten o!! the phone with o$" people.> =+o$" people?> I snic.e"ed. =+es. @$" people.> &e told me that the societ) demanded to .now whe"e I #ot m) in!o"mation. =I,'e ne'e" been in the tomb and I did nothin# ille#al in the p"ocess o! "epo"tin# this a"ticle > I "eplied. =3hen )o$ m$st ha'e #otten somethin# !"om one o! $s. 3ell me whom )o$ spo.e to. 4e D$st want to tal. to them > he wheedled. =I don,t "e'eal m) so$"ces.> 3hen he #ot an#"). &e sc"eamed at me !o" a while abo$t how dishono"able I was !o" w"itin# the a"ticle. =* lot o! people a"e 'e") despondent o'e" thisN> he )elled. =Bi!teen +ale D$nio"s a"e 'e") 'e") $psetN> I than.ed him !o" tellin# me his conce"ns. =3he"e a"e a lot o! $s at newspape"s and at political Do$"nalism instit$tions > he coldl) hissed. =9ood l$c. with )o$" ca"ee">and he slammed down the phone. S.$ll and /ones pa"tic$la"l) in "ecent )ea"s has mana#ed to pe"'ade both pop$la" and political c$lt$"e. In the 1LL2 "ace !o" the 2ep$blican p"esidential nomination 1at /$chanan acc$sed 1"esident 9eo"#e /$sh o! "$nnin# =a S.$ll and /ones p"esidenc).> In 1LL3 d$"in# 5eb /$sh,s Blo"ida #$be"nato"ial campai#n one o! his constit$ents as.ed him =+o$,"e !amilia" with the S.$ll and ("ossbones Societ)?> 4hen /$sh "esponded =+eah I,'e hea"d abo$t it > the constit$ent pe"sisted =4ell can )o$ tell the people he"e what )o$" !amil) membe"ship in that is? Isn,t )o$" aim to ta.e cont"ol o! the :nited States?> In 5an$a") 2001 %ew +o". 3imes col$mnist ;a$"een ?owd

$sed S.$ll and /ones in a simile: =4hen 4. met the p"ess with his choice !o" atto"ne) #ene"al 5ohn *shc"o!t be!o"e (h"istmas he 'i'idl) showed how impo"tant it is to him that his 4hite &o$se be as lea.-p"oo! as the S.$ll K /ones 7tomb.,> 3hat was less than a )ea" a!te" the :ni'e"sal 1ict$"es !ilm int"od$ced the sec"et societ) to a new demo#"aphic pe"haps $ninitiated into the doct"ines o! mode"n-da) conspi"ac) theo"). %ot lon# be!o"e the mo'ie was p"e'iewed in theate"sand pe"haps in anticipation o! the election o! 9eo"#e 4. /$sha lette" was dist"ib$ted to membe"s !"om S.$ll and /ones headC$a"te"s. =In 'iew o! the political happenin#s in the ba"ba"ian wo"ld > the memo "ead =I !eel compelled to "emind all o! the t"adition o! p"i'ac) and con!identialit) essential to the well-bein# o! o$" @"de" and st"on#l) $"#e sto$t "esistance to the sed$ctions and blandishments o! the Bo$"th Astate.> 3his 'ow o! silence "emains the societ),s most impo"tant "$le. /onesmen ha'e been e6ceedin#l) ca"e!$l not to b"ea. this code o! sec"ec) and ha'e .ept speci!ic details abo$t the o"#ani0ation o$t o! the p"ess. Indeed #i'en the $n$s$al st"ict w"itten "eminde" to sta) silent membe"s o! S.$ll and /ones ma) well "e!$se to spea. to an) membe" o! the media e'e" a#ain. /$t the) ha'e al"ead) spo.en to me. 4hen? @'e" the past th"ee )ea"s. 4h)? 1e"haps beca$se I am a membe" o! one o! S.$ll and /ones, .ind"ed +ale sec"et societies. 1e"haps beca$se some o! them a"e ti"ed o! the S.$ll and /ones le#end o! the claims o! conspi"ac) theo"ists and some o! thei" !ellow /onesmen. 4hat !ollows then is the t"$th abo$t S.$ll and /ones. *nd i! this t"$th does not contain all o! the conspi"ato"ial elements that the S.$ll and /ones le#end p"oDects it is pe"haps all the mo"e inte"estin# !o" that !act. 3he sto") o! S.$ll and /ones is not D$st the sto") o! a "ema".able sec"et societ) b$t a "ema".able societ) o! sec"ets some with basis in t"$th some nothin# b$t !o#. ;$ch o! the wa) we $nde"stand the wo"ld o! powe" in'ol'es m)"iad ass$mptions o! connection and cont"ol o! ca$se and e!!ect and o! coincidence that s$"el) cannot be coincidence.