he world over has heard of Skull and Bones of
Yale University. This elite secret society holds within its
membership at least four U.S. Presidents. George W. Bush and
Senator John Kerry are both members of Skull and Bones. This
made the 2004 presidential election the first known election
where two secret society members ran against each other.
However, names like the Order of the Bull's Blood, Mystical
Seven Society, The Order of Gimghoul , Burning Spear, and
Machine are less familiar. Make no mistake these too are
powerful societies. The clear pronounceable difference between
these organizations and Skull and Bones is that these secret
societies were founded and continue to wield power at
universities where ivy does not grow.
At the University of Virginia the number 7 mysteriously pops up
on campus buildings and other campus fixtures and checks in the
amount of 1,777 or 7,777 are sent to the university. For nearly
100 years candidates picked by the most secretive society have
virtually always won the University of Alabama's student
government elections. How is it that a group that claims only 13
years of existence on Florida State University's 156-year-old
campus became the natural choice to sponsor FSU Homecoming? On
the campus of Baylor University the school fountains turn pink,
announcements declare Homecoming canceled, and figures are seen
parading around campus adorning wigs and fake noses.
If the average college freshman is expecting to step on a campus
where he or she leaves behind the stereotypical high school
cliques then most will be given a false sense of freedom. Most
college students are unknowingly under the yoke of the definite
yet predominantly silent hold university secret societies
possess on what is popularly called college life.
There are many aspects of college life. One could argue that
there are so many diverse parts of campus life that it would be
impossible for secret societies to control all of them. The
mistake is thinking that these societies need to physically
control all of these parts. In all fairness there are some
aspects of college life these societies wouldn't want to touch
with a ten-foot pole. But what societies like Spades aim to do
is build an ever growing web of influence; and like a bunch of
spiders they position themselves in key places on their web so
that their slightest touch affects the entire college web. So
what parts of the college web do these secret societies position
themselves upon and how does this affect college life? The
physical landscapes and traditions of the school, student
government and student leadership, and social events are where
these societies seem to assert their control.
Secret societies put university politics into play like a
well-oiled machine. In fact, it is well documented that Machine,
University of Alabama's secret society, has used all manner of
illegal tricks and threats to both win university elections and
discourage opponents from running against them. One year on
their order groups of students boycotted a popular pizzeria to
the point of running it out of business. Why? Well the son of
the pizzeria owners ran against a Machine student government
candidate. No one knows the exact membership, their leadership
is especially secretive, but Machine's representatives inform
potential election candidates what student positions Machine
will allow them to pursue. Burning Spear is comprised of the
most elite of the student senate and student government
association, incidentally most currently belong to Insight
Party, the FSU political party that has been sweeping university
elections, under one name or another, for several years.
The reason these societies fight so earnestly to control the
political makeup of their universities is simple, the pursuit of
ever more power. What is most alarming is that many universities
pay student government officers, thus compensating these secret
society members for exerting their control in everyday student
life. They control student organizations' budgets and place
students on the student judicial board. They write legislation
that affects the student body and hold representatives in every
college or school on their university's campus. They allocate
funds for student festivities and events and safeguard the
interests of groups like fraternities and sororities, of which
many secret society members also hold membership.
Just how these societies impact the physical
landscapes and traditions of school are probably the easiest
thing to observe about them. For instance, The Seven Society
writes 7s on school property at the University of Virginia.
Members of Burning Spear begin the beating of a large drum in
the FSU's Student Union when the university plays a rival like
UM or UF. The Noze has painted school bridges pink, dyed the
water in school fountains pink, and made false announcements
declaring Homecoming canceled. Michigamu, unlike any other group
on campus, is given a free office space on campus.
Some may see these acts as mysterious or cool, foolish or petty
vandalism, or simply harmless but they have been mistakenly
viewed as part of these Universities' distinctions and
traditions. These organizations are physically making a clear
statement: This university and everything you think is yours
belongs to us. They are given the power to take up space and
"decorate" the university as they see fit without question,
without revealing their motives or membership, and without
campus reprisal and without being subjected to following
standard university rules .
Homecoming, and Alumni Weekend, and concerts oh my. Oh these are
just a few of the events these society members host. Oh how they
like the limelight (so long as you don't focus too much
attention on their membership in said societies) and being the
life of the party. A university's time honored events and most
awaited social spotlights are under the command of these
organizations. After only 13 years of proclaimed existence
Burning Spear unquestionably is given the honor of sponsoring
FSU's homecoming. Florida Blue Key also sponsors colossal events
such as University of Florida's Homecoming and Gator Growl.
Students who secretly hold membership in these groups get to
represent themselves as everyday students while they gain and
build professional, social, and alumni connections. What is
ironic is that the university funds the parties these societies
sponsor under the guise of school spirit. It is however, the
sprit of their own society and influence over these events that
they are most interested in maintaining.
With the power of government, influence over tradition, and
determination to plan the goings on at your local university
know that elite secret societies participate in all these
activities with only one goal - their ever advancing power. The
aforementioned colleges and universities don't immediately
endear visions of prestige that one thinks of when Harvard or
Yale is mentioned. However, like the members of Skull and Bones
these secret societies members on public university campuses go
on to powerful positions in local, state, and federal
government, they become successful business men, and continue
the ever connecting web of power.
Kevin Phillips, author of American Theocracy, puts the best case
of why these societies succeed. Phillips states, "People have
wondered why these secret societies have been hotbeds of future
success. Rather than competing with fraternities and student
organizations, these 'secret societies' augment or leverage
other organizations. What makes them unique and singularly
successful is that they stress goal-oriented vision among a
limited and distinguished group. Often they assist each other,
secretly, in gaining prominent campus positions as practice for
what they want to do in the real world. As opposed to larger
organizations they maintain the strength of their ties post
graduation."
More resources
http://www.thenoze.org
http://www.cw.ua.edu/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/03/16/4237dfd4a9105?in_archive=1
http://en.wikipedi
