# Why a Masonic Ring on the Donald Trump Statue?



## My Freemasonry

By now you’ve heard the sensational news of five Donald Trump statues, _The Emperor Has No Balls_, that were placed around the country. If you haven’t heard about it, you can read about it in _Slate_, the _Daily Beast_ and in the _The Washington Post_ – just to name a few. Even Chris Hodapp, over at _Freemasons for Dummies_, made a mention of it (taking no public sides in the political debate) on the day the statues appeared.

Embed from Getty Images​


As strange as the appearance of this statue was, even stranger was the inclusion of a Masonic Ring on the nude presidential contender, rendering a strange message on an even stranger figure upon which to associate it. The inclusion reminded me of a _certain_ car commercial that ran during a _certain_ super football game in 2013 with a devilish Willem DaFoe (you can read about it _here_ and _here_) sporting the square and compass on his finger which ended up garnering nearly 3000 signatures to have the image removed.






Masonic ring on Donald Statue


And yet, here we have another example of the iconic square and compass stealthy sneaking its way back into the material culture*, now poised eloquently on one of the most in-eloquent of presidential candidates in an unflattering of pose. Alas, the Hans Christian Andersen appellation of the _Emperor Has No Clothes_ is perhaps one allegorical tale to be told about the presidential contender. But, an emperor without balls, wearing a Masonic Ring? The only question I can imagine on the minds of most Freemasons (after the obvious statement of how ludicrous it is) is …why? Why a Masonic ring on a naked Donald Trump?

I wondered that too. So, I asked the artist behind the statue “Ginger” (aka Joshua Monroe), why. Why a naked Donald Trump wearing only a Masonic Ring?

I should probably say that replicas of the sculpture, which are now priced at $10,000 with multiple buyers lining up, was a commissioned piece by the activist collective Indecline. In a recent press release, Indecline says “Museums in Miami (Wynwood), Germany, Arizona and California have also contacted INDECLINE in attempts to secure Trump statues for gallery shows.” The statue (and by circumstance, the ring upon it) further seeps into the material culture.

This was my conversation with the artist Ginger about it.

*GS:*_ A masonic ring is a pretty unique thing to have on hand, even for an artist. After watching the making of video where you cast the model (at bottom), was the ring the models or something you had on hand in your studio?_

*Ginger:* It was not very hard to acquire the ring. Then the model was not [a mason] as I believe most Mason’s would want nothing to do with a project like this. I meant absolutely no disrespect to the Masons but they are the world’s most recognizable secret society.

*GS:*_ It’s an interesting juxtaposition, the naked figure clad only in a Masonic square and compass ring. The Washington Post mentioned that it represented his (Trumps) access to secret or elitist power (attributing to the artist “emblematic of privilege, secret handshakes and cloistered groups of powerful people_*”*_). I’m curious, as an artist, is that a real part of the philosophy you see in [Trump] or just a design element meant to connect disparate elements into a new reality? Was the inclusion of the ring just a “secret society” prop, or did you mean to link the “naked emperor” with a Masonic ring as his only garment (which itself has a strangely symbolic reverse meaning within Freemasonry)?_

*Ginger:* The reason that I myself chose to put the Masonic ring into the sculpture was to symbolize the fact that Donald Trump, who I know is not a mason, is most definitely involved in secret dealings and secret societies that the general public will never be aware of.

My grandfather was a high-ranking mason. I myself, being a legacy, have been asked to join several times by several members. As far as owning the Mason’s ring there’s actually artist and vendors that sell them on the street.

*GS:*_ Having a background in art, I think I understand how the ring is being used, but I know that a huge community of Freemasons are just dumbstruck (if not outright offended) at its use. Knowing that it’s the artist prerogative to choose what goes in or stays out of a piece is their own, I wonder what your thought is about how the community-at-large reads or interprets the association? Do you have any thought on how the community of Freemasons would interpret the inclusion? (Do you care or does it matter?)?_

*Ginger:* I considered it a very tongue and cheek wink to the secret societies and their _Quest To Rule The World_. I have many friends who are masons and they joke about their meetings being held _Pinky and the Brain_ style to try and take over the world. But it’s mostly crappy food that their wives have made. I myself have done lots of Charity and volunteer work and that’s why I’ve been approached by Masons I respect what you do and I hope you guys are not offended.

*GS*_: I’m curious, do you see Trump as an emperor with no cloths because of what he’s done before the election or because he’s running now? Do you think it’s that secret access that makes him so naked?_

*Ginger:* The title of the installment was actually set in stone long before the collective even found me as an artist.

The overall concept and look was their idea and their political statement. I am just the artist who brought it to life. However it was my idea to add the Mason ring not to insult Masons but [it] suggests his involvement in secret societies.

Also the saggy inflamed butt was my idea.

– End

And there you have it.


The Emperor Has No Balls from Indecline on Vimeo.

_*Material culture is defined as: the physical evidence of a culture in the objects and architecture they make, or have made. The term tends to be relevant only in archaeological and anthropological studies, but it specifically means all material evidence which can be attributed to culture, past or present._

From _Wikipedia_, Material Culture.


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Original article: Why a Masonic Ring on the Donald Trump Statue?.






 







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## Ripcord22A

My Freemasonry said:


> My grandfather was a high-ranking mason. I myself, being a legacy, have been asked to join several times by several members.


  Is this dude for real?  Legacy?

*


My Freemasonry said:



			Ginger:
		
Click to expand...

*


My Freemasonry said:


> I considered it a very tongue and cheek wink to the secret societies and their _Quest To Rule The World_. I have many friends who are masons and they joke about their meetings being held _Pinky and the Brain_ style to try and take over the world. But it’s mostly crappy food that their wives have made. I myself have done lots of Charity and volunteer work and that’s why I’ve been approached by Masons I respect what you do and I hope you guys are not offended.


is the author a Mason?  if so how did he not call him on his nonsense?


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## Warrior1256

This "artist" deliberately used the Masonic symbol ring in such a way as to make it appear to symbolize something evil!


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## Winter

I know I was outraged when these statues were revealed and the Masonic ring was shown on it.  But maybe we need to step back and look at it from a different angle.  The fact that the artist used the symbol of our Order to represent a recognized symbol of an organization that spans the globe and is known for its secrets is a good thing.  It means we are still relevant and that the world has not forgotten about us yet.

As for him being a "legacy" and asked to join several times, well, we all know that's a load of crap.  Let him have his delusions since every Mason reading the article knows it as the lie that it is.  The son of a Mason is a Lewis, not a Legacy, and the only benefit that gets you is that you can be Raised at 18 instead of 21 in some jurisdictions.


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## Warrior1256

Winter said:


> The fact that the artist used the symbol of our Order to represent a recognized symbol of an organization that spans the globe and is known for its secrets is a good thing. It means we are still relevant and that the world has not forgotten about us yet.


Well....I have to admit looking at it this way never occured to me. By this point of view it could be looked upon as a good thing.


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## Winter

Warrior1256 said:


> Well....I have to admit looking at it this way never occured to me. By this point of view it could be looked upon as a good thing.


I wouldn't go THAT far.  LoL

Transmitted via my R5 astromech.


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## Warrior1256

Winter said:


> I wouldn't go THAT far.  LoL
> 
> Transmitted via my R5 astromech.


Lol, I guess that I am an eternal optimist!


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## Glen Cook

Well


Winter said:


> I know I was outraged when these statues were revealed and the Masonic ring was shown on it.  But maybe we need to step back and look at it from a different angle.  The fact that the artist used the symbol of our Order to represent a recognized symbol of an organization that spans the globe and is known for its secrets is a good thing.  It means we are still relevant and that the world has not forgotten about us yet.
> 
> As for him being a "legacy" and asked to join several times, well, we all know that's a load of crap.  Let him have his delusions since every Mason reading the article knows it as the lie that it is.  The son of a Mason is a Lewis, not a Legacy, and the only benefit that gets you is that you can be Raised at 18 instead of 21 in some jurisdictions.


Well, he used the wrong term, but that doesn't mean he wasn't solicited to join


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## jermy Bell

Well, if we're gonna take over the world we MIGHT AS WELL just go ahead and do it. It's not like anyone would really see it coming.  ROFLMAO !!!!!!!!!


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## Warrior1256

jermy Bell said:


> Well, if we're gonna take over the world we MIGHT AS WELL just go ahead and do it. It's not like anyone would really see it coming. ROFLMAO !!!!!!!!!


Yeah, then maybe we would finally get down to business and stop our endless votes on what to serve at refreshment, lol.


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## Rifleman1776

Much ado over nothing. I never heard of this until seeing this post.  If the goofballs get their jollies from stuff like this that their business.


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## David612

Personally I think it comes across as intellectually lazy but that’s just me.


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## acjohnson53

Well, He might be a Master Mason, or he petitioned to be a Mason, but was denied or, he stopped at the five and dime and thought it was cute, or he might have been grandfathered in, you know how they do them honary members things...Who knows???


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## acjohnson53

It would make use Great Again....


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## Warrior1256

acjohnson53 said:


> It would make use Great Again....


Lol!


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## Winter

acjohnson53 said:


> Well, He might be a Master Mason, or he petitioned to be a Mason, but was denied or, he stopped at the five and dime and thought it was cute, or he might have been grandfathered in, you know how they do them honary members things...Who knows???



Except that President Trump isn't a Mason. The sculptor said he used the ring just to point out that he believes the President is involved in secret global organizations. Which only proves the sculptor has a tenuous grasp on reality.


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## Warrior1256

Winter said:


> The sculptor said he used the ring just to point out that he believes the President is involved in secret global organizations. Which only proves the sculptor has a tenuous grasp on reality.


Yep!


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## MasonicHermit

Warrior1256 said:


> This "artist" deliberately used the Masonic symbol ring in such a way as to make it appear to symbolize something evil!


Agreed!! It has no business on someone who is not a Mason. I voted for Trump, but I don't think he is a mason (I haven't heard anything of the sort).

Sent from my LG-M153 using My Freemasonry mobile app


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