Always worth challenging

I wrote to the Oxford University Hockey Club (see why) 

I am a member of the public who heard the cheers coming from the University Sports Ground yesterday afternoon and went to see what was going on. 

I was sickened by your nasty, elitist banner on the fence saying, 'I'd rather go to Brookes than wear minty green'. Seriously, do you think this sort of snobbery is funny?

I took a photo and posted it on my blog. Some of the comments I have so far received are:

'Ugh. Obnoxious.' (France)

'That's  a shitty attitude to have. Our future leaders, unfortunately.' (UK)

'Sad little sign. Tuppence halfpenny looking down on tuppence.' (Ireland)

'The arrogance of Oxford is horrifying.' (Scotland) 

'As an Oxford graduate, and with a daughter a finalist there this year, I'm embarrassed - not so much by the crappy superior attitude - there's dickheads everywhere - but that they feel OK to openly publicise it... ' (place unknown)

Do you care?

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I have now received this reply:

Thank you for your email. I would like to start off by apologising to you and anyone offended by the banner you saw on Sunday. Let me first start off by assuring you that the intentions of that banner were in no way related to disrespecting Brookes or commenting on anything else to do with Oxford Brookes University. However, I can completely understand how it may have been taken that way and agree it should never have been allowed to be put up or even made. It's intention was a lighthearted jab at Cambridge but I see now that it was wrong and I apologise again. 

It really saddens me and I do care that individuals such as yourself consider us to be 'obnoxious'. We have a close working relationship with Oxford Brookes hockey club and we are currently planning an annual match with them to celebrate the wonderful local rivalry we have as universities and hockey clubs. No part of our relationship with Oxford Brookes holds any level of arrogance and I would hope they would agree with this. 

I issue my apologies again and hope that this email has gone some way to assure yourself and your followers that we do care, and that we do not see ourselves as better in any way than our local rivals. 

Many thanks,

OUHC President 2020-2021 

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I replied:
Thank you for having the insight and grace to apologise. I'm relieved that most of the time your rivalry with Brookes is respectful. 

Light-hearted jabs at sporting opponents are all part of the sport as long as no-one else is caught in the cross-fire. But I think that the very long history of entitlement at the University of Oxford means that students there have to work even harder than the rest of us (and the rest of us have to work pretty hard too!) to notice our blind spots and try to make our shared world a more just place.

Thank you to you and your fellow players for your part in that, now and in the future.