Why The Ultimate Way To Defeat Your Enemy Was To Steal Their God
The ancient art of “godnapping,” and its presence in our modern world
On Thanksgiving of 2021, cadets from one of America’s finest military institutions went on a secret mission. The object: to steal a goat. But it wasn’t just any goat, it was the mascot of the U.S. Naval Academy.
This clandestine group was from West Point (the US Military Academy or Army Academy), and they were taking up an interagency rivalry expressed by mascot theft.
In this instance, they succeeded, stealing two goats from the Navy, and parking them on West Point’s grounds. According to Dave Phillips at The New York Times, it was the twelfth time over the past hundred years the Army has pulled off such a feat.
Not to be outdone, the Navy has also kidnapped the Army’s donkey mascot as well. Phillips mentions one such outing was planned by none other than the elite Navy SEALS.
Ridiculous and childish? Absolutely. But not totally beyond the pale according to the annuls of history. There’s power in a mascot, especially when it takes on a significant meaning.
Now, let’s take it one step beyond. What if this mascot is the physical representation of your nation’s god? That’s a truly special mascot.
