You’ve probably heard the famous clip: JFK warning that “secret societies are repugnant in a free and open society.” Conspiracy theorists often play this as if he was condemning Freemasonry or some hidden cabal. But have you ever read the whole speech?
Kennedy was speaking in 1961 to the American Newspaper Publishers Association—warning about the dangers of Soviet secrecy, state censorship, and a lack of transparency in the press. His concern wasn’t Masons in lodges, but governments using secrecy as a weapon against freedom.
So the question is: why do so many use this line to fuel the “secret society” myth? Was JFK really hinting at hidden powers, or have his words been twisted to fit a narrative?
What do you think—was JFK exposing a cabal, or warning about propaganda and state secrecy?
Share your thoughts below.
— JPG | 363