[SlowBoat407]

Actually, it's kind of murky whether or not the pirates who adopted the skull and crossbones were masons or they just adopted a known frightening symbol to signal their prey to surrender before the "joli rouge" went up.

I think a real distinction needs to be drawn as well between "privateers", rogue pirates, and islamic pirates such as the ones still operating off of the Horn of Africa.

Oh, and... "Aaaarrgghh!"

[Jaysun]

My disagreement is with the idea that the Skull and Crossbones, or Jolly Roger, is a Masonic symbol. And that pirates were Masons. And that they had anything in common with the Founding Fathers.

To want personal gain is human.