“Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all transgressions.” (Proverbs 10:12)

Soccer team Manchester United issued an apology recently for an email newsletter sent to fans of the team.  In its recent edition of the weekly “United Uncovered” email, the soccer club ran an article on its youthful members, titled, “New Order.”  The article was accompanied by a stylized graphic of the team’s initials, MUFC.  The red and white logo, however, resembles a swastika, and the words “New Order” reminded several readers of Hitler’s “European New Order.”  The combination led to a  storm of complaints on Twitter, prompting the apology.

Manchester United’s Head of Media David Sternberg issued the apology, and promised to investigate the matter. “The creative is completely inappropriate; we apologize unreservedly and are taking appropriate internal action,” he tweeted.

The club issued a formal apology to its readers via email.  The message read,  “In this week’s United Uncovered email newsletter, a graphic spelling the letters MUFC ran alongside a feature about Manchester United’s younger squad members entitled New Order. While the headline was intended to reference the band of the same name, it has been pointed out that the graphic had design similarities to a swastika which, combined with other connotations of the phrase ‘new order’, has caused offence which was entirely unintended. For this, United Uncovered unreservedly apologizes.”