George W. Bush: Freemason Or Not?

The Masonic sign for "rock on?"

For a long time, it has been rumored that George W. Bush (as well as his father George H. W. Bush) are Freemasons.  The internet is full of blurry photos of awkward handshakes and signs both George H. W. Bush and his son George W. apparently displayed that are supposed to provide evidence that both of these former Presidents are Freemasons.  Of course these "secret handshakes" and "signs" Masonic conspiracy theorists use as evidence of a connection to Freemasonry have nothing to do with Freemasonry at all. 

And that's because neither George W. Bush, nor his father George H. W. Bush are Freemasons.  And if they were, there would be no reason to keep it a secret--there were fourteen Presidents that were Freemasons.  The last was Gerald Ford.  That's a well-known fact.  And it's possible there were one or two more, but no documents survived as evidence. 

Secret handshake?  I don't know
what that is exactly, but it seems a
little obvious for an ultra-secret
society--doesn't it?

The Bushs' are, however, members of a secret society--they are both Bonesmen.  Alumni of the secret society at Yale University called Skull and Bones.  Each year, the Skull and Bones members "tap" fifteen new members at Yale University to join their society--usually those seen by the society as prominent leaders and other notable figures on campus.  The list of alumni of Skull and Bones is impressive--along with the Bushs', other members include John Kerry, President William Howard Taft, and former Secretary of War Henry Stimson just to name a few.

But there is no connection between Skull and Bones and Freemasonry--they aren't related in any way.  One is an international fraternity of men, and the other is a college society.

~TEC