NPR this morning.... "Republicans looking for a white knight"

[DrZeeLit]

I kid you not.
And my husband, fifteen years a recovering Republican, was horrified.
Any fallout from this?

I was... stunned.

A White Knight?

(as opposed to The Black Knight??)

I'm just sayin'......

[KansDem]

1. How about this guy?

About sums up their platform...

[HopeHoops]

2. They seem to be settling for anybody white.

[Common Sense Party]

3. You've got to be kidding. That's a very common expression.

Of all the things to get worked up about...

[Hosnon]

4. No. "White Knight" means hero/savior. It has nothing to do with skin color. nt.

[DrZeeLit]

16. Not worked up. Surprised.

I'm a professor of literature -- I know what "white knight" means.
And I'm not "worked up." I said... stunned. Language use IS important. And I'm not the metaphor police, but really... this is interesting.

When the opposition to President Obama continually uses racially-charged language and motifs, I can only shake my head in wonder that this phrase was used.

It'a akin to "The Great White Hope" kind of phrase. In the South, where they often consider themselves knights and ladies of a bygone era, you can bet your bottom dollar the connotation of "White Knight" certainly isn't African American.

Also...the KKK considers themselves "knights." White = purity; Black = evil -- these are ancient symbols. Knighthood was based on deep devotion to Christian ethics. Knights and Crusades = going after the ungodly (such as Muslims)

Sooooo...the whole idea of a White Knight -- not the best line NPR could have come up with.

Again.... I'm just shakin' my head... and I'm just sayin'....

[Hosnon]

18. Who said you were "worked up"?

Not me.

[Brickbat]

5. I think this one's a reach.

[rfranklin]

11. Fox News could make this work for five or six news cycles...

I think it is perfectly appropriate considering their racist tendencies.

[Renew Deal]

6. I don't think they meant anything by it

:shrug:

[msanthrope]

7. "Knight in Shining Armor" might have been more measured...n/t

[AC_Mem]

10. I think so too

words have consequences. If roles had been reversed you can bet your last penny that they would use it against democrats. It would be all over the news.

Having said that, it was probably just a talking point gone bad.

Annette

[truebrit71]

8. It's a turn of phrase...bugger all to do with colour...

I'm just sayin'

[kysrsoze]

9. Emphasis on "White." Yes, NPR used the figurative term, but get this...

A friend of our was forced by her boss to attend a local Republican shill dinner. All they did was bash Obama and talk about how he makes empty promises. Anyway, one speaker was talking about getting Obama out of office, and he slipped up, saying, "We need to get another white... I MEAN... Republican in the White House."

The whole place was aghast, but it probably was because someone finally came out and admitted the Republican Party is all for white, rich people, and no one else. They're anti-gay, anti-immigrant, anti-non-Christian, anti-low incomers, etc. They truly are looking out for the "White (also straight and wealthy) Knight."

Of course they also had the obligatory Teabagger representative, who just happens to be at a Republican fundraiser and absolutely does NOT represent the base of the Republican Party.

[bluerum]

12. Way to go NPR. They don't even pretend to be impartial anymore.

[Deep13]

13. Heard it, thought the same thing. nt

[AndyTiedye]

14. How About This Guy?

[Jack Rabbit]

17. Well, that is indeed a White Knight

!!

[joeybee12]

15. Common enough term, IMHO...nt