History Main / OpinionOverride

NoRealLifeExamplesPlease.

** People are up in arms over the band "Timmy and the Lords of the Underworld" because (allegedly) the only reason they're popular is that people like to come to laugh at Timmy, who is in a wheelchair and can only say his name. But people are actually there to support Timmy and enjoy the music, and Timmy himself is having fun. (PhilCollins is also upset and jumps on this bandwagon, but for him it's really because [=TatLotU=] are more popular than he is.)

* In the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' books, Hermione tries to free the House Elves, though [[HappinessInSlavery most of them like their duties]].

-->'''Howard:''' That's a very good point, actually.
-->'''Sally:''' No it's not! It's ''homophobic'', [[HypocriticalHumour you stupid queen]]!

Happens a lot in FanWank. Related to CategoryTraitor and CondescendingCompassion. ''Definitely'' does occur as TruthInTelevision -- yet note how many of the examples below still are StrawmanPolitical. This often happens when someone in the group is [[SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX a friend]] or a [[ThickerThanWater family member]] who's a member of the person saying the offensive thing. See also NWordPrivileges.

Happens a lot in FanWank. Related to CategoryTraitor and CondescendingCompassion. ''Definitely'' does occur as TruthInTelevision -- yet note how many of the examples below still are StrawmanPolitical. This often happens when someone in the group is [[SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX a friend]] or a [[ThickerThanWater family member]] who's a member of the group.

Someone says or does something that some group [[UnfortunateImplications finds offensive]]. The thing is, though, the person who speaks against it isn't part of the group themselves and is getting offended ''on the group's behalf''. The people who are actually members of the group either don't mind, think that the "offensive" joke is ActuallyPrettyFunny.

The unoffended members of the group may be called or might actually be {{Category Traitor}}s or {{Boomerang Bigot}}s with InternalizedCategorism. If this argument is happening on the internet, they could be accused of (or actually b) [[SockPuppet not actually being group members at all]]. NoTrueScotsman might also be applied as well, saying anyone who isn't offended isn't a "real" member of the group.

The unoffended members of the group may be called {{Category Traitor}}s or might actually be {{Boomerang Bigot}}s with InternalizedCategorism. If this argument is happening on the internet, they could be accused of (or actually b) [[SockPuppet not actually being group members at all]]. NoTrueScotsman might also be applied as well, saying anyone who isn't offended isn't a "real" member of the group.

Someone broadcasts something that a white knight for some group [[UnfortunateImplications finds offensive]]. The thing is, though, the white knight in question isn't a part of the group themselves and is getting offended ''on the group's behalf''. The people who are actually members of the group think that the "offensive" joke is ActuallyPrettyFunny, and say such. Or they don't even care that they're supposed to be "offended".

Cue the PeripheryDemographic white knight calling said group members {{Category Traitor}}s and/or {{Boomerang Bigot}}s with InternalizedCategorism. If this argument is happening on the internet, the white knight may even accuse the group members of [[SockPuppet not actually being group members at all]], because [[NoTrueScotsman no REAL member of the group would ever disagree with them on this matter]], [[SarcasmMode obviously]].

There are UnfortunateImplications in this one as well: saying, for instance, that a [[PoliticalCorrectnessGoneMad politically correct]] white viewer knows what's racist better than a black viewer does, and will "defend" black people from having their own opinion on the matter if they don't agree with the white person in question.

Happens a lot in FanWank. Related to CategoryTraitor and CondescendingCompassion. ''Definitely'' does occur as TruthInTelevision -- yet note how many of the examples below still are StrawmanPolitical. Sometimes this happens because the white knight has [[SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX a friend]] or a [[ThickerThanWater family member]] who's a member of the group.

Please limit RealLife examples to someone White Knighting for ''a single person'' and the target not being offended.

[[folder: Real Life ]]

* [[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Gary Larson]] got one of these cases on his hands when he drew a comic about Jane Goodall. A female chimp finds a blond hair in her mate's fur and accuses him of having helped 'that Jane Goodall tramp' with some 'research'. Shortly after publishing it, he got a cease-and-desist from someone claiming to represent Jane Goodall, expressing outrage at the implications of bestiality, the reference to her as a 'tramp', etc. Gary, who states that he has nothing but respect for Goodall's work, dutifully pulled the comic. Not long after, he got a letter from National Geographic Magazine requesting to use that comic for an article about Jane Goodall, and when he told them that he couldn't due to the C&D, they were mystified. The editor knew Jane personally, and stated that it didn't sound like her at all. A few phone calls later, it turns out that Jane Goodall herself thought the comic was hilarious, and she didn't know anything about a cease-and-desist. The comic was restored to its rightful place, including being used for the aforementioned article, but nobody ever found out ''who'' decided to complain to Gary on Jane's behalf, without bothering to tell her.
** Jane would later write the foreword to the fifth ''Far Side'' Gallery, revealing that she knew who sent that C&D and heavily implying that person no longer worked for her.
* Unlike many ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' fans, Creator/{{Kodansha}}, the publisher of the ''[[Manga/GhostInTheShell GitS]]'' mangas including the original series by Creator/ShirowMasamune, is [[http://kotaku.com/ghost-in-the-shell-publisher-never-imagined-a-japanese-1771992584 actually okay with]] the casting of Creator/ScarlettJohansson as the Major in the upcoming [[Film/GhostInTheShell live-action adaptation]].
* During Halloween 2015, there was controversy when stores sold Caitlyn Jenner costumes for men. Several articles and social media users claimed it was transphobic and insensitive towards Jenner after she came out as transgender. Then when people asked Jenner herself, she said she thought the costumes were ActuallyPrettyFunny.
* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' creator Scott Adams has taken his share of flak over the years for writing comic strips that offended people, and he noted in ''Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel'' that one of the most irritating problems he faced was white knighting by people who weren't part of the group he was taking the piss out of. His example was that if he made a joke about clown stereotypes, he'd get a lot of angry letters from his readers, but none of them would be from actual clowns.
%% From the trope description: "Please limit Real Life examples to someone White Knighting for a single person and the target not being offended." That means that entries about the Washington Redskins are right out.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Film Live Action ]]

* Unlike many ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' fans, Creator/{{Kodansha}}, the publisher of the ''[[Manga/GhostInTheShell GitS]]'' mangas including the original series by Creator/ShirowMasamune, is [[http://kotaku.com/ghost-in-the-shell-publisher-never-imagined-a-japanese-1771992584 actually okay with]] the casting of Creator/ScarlettJohansson as the Major in the upcoming [[Film/GhostInTheShell live-action adaptation]].

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Newspaper Comics ]]

* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' creator Scott Adams has taken his share of flak over the years for writing comic strips that offended people, and he noted in ''Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel'' that one of the most irritating problems he faced was white knighting by people who weren't part of the group he was taking the piss out of. His example was that if he made a joke about clown stereotypes, he'd get a lot of angry letters from his readers, but none of them would be from actual clowns.

[[/folder]]

->'''Black Woman:''' I uh... actually don't care if white people want to wear dreads. It's just fuckin' hair, dude.\\
'''White Woman:''' ''[clamps her hand over the black woman's mouth]'' You poor, ignorant, stupid fool who has internalized white supremacy and racism! Don't worry, I'll fight the good fight ''for'' you, since you are obviously too ''brainwashed'' to know better! ''I'll'' be offended on ''your'' behalf!
-->-- '''[[http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/sites/plebcomics plebcomics]]'''

[[AC:FilmLiveAction]]

[[AC:{{Literature}}]]

[[AC:LiveActionTV]]

[[AC:NewspaperComics]]

[[AC:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[AC:WesternAnimation]]

[[AC:RealLife]]
* [[ComicStrip/TheFarSide Gary Larson]] got one of these cases on his hands when he drew a comic about Jane Goodall – A female chimp finds a blond hair in her mate's fur and accuses him of having helped 'that Jane Goodall tramp' with some 'research'. Shortly after publishing it, he got a cease-and-desist from someone claiming to represent Jane Goodall, expressing outrage at the implications of bestiality, the reference to her as a 'tramp', etc. Gary, who states that he has nothing but respect for Goodall's work, dutifully pulled the comic. Not long after, he got a letter from National Geographic Magazine requesting to use that comic for an article about Jane Goodall, and when he told them that he couldn't due to the C&D, they were mystified. The editor knew Jane personally, and stated that it didn't sound like her at all. A few phone calls later, it turns out that Jane Goodall herself thought the comic was hilarious, and she didn't know anything about a cease-and-desist. The comic was restored to its rightful place, including being used for the aforementioned article, but nobody ever found out ''who'' decided to complain to Gary on Jane's behalf, without bothering to tell her…
** Jane would later write the foreword to the fifth ''Far Side'' Gallery, revealing that she knew who sent that C&D… and heavily implying that person no longer worked for her.
* During Halloween 2015, there was controversy when stores sold Caitlyn Jenner costumes for men. Several articles and social media users claimed it was transphobic and insensitive towards Jenner after she came out as transgender. Then when people asked Jenner herself, she said she thought the costumes were ActuallyPrettyFunny.

[[AC:WebOriginal]]
* [[http://stuffwhitepeoplelike.com/2008/05/28/101-being-offended/ Item #101]] on the blog Stuff White People Like {{lampshades}} this.
* [[http://notalwaysworking.com/a-rebel-with-too-many-causes/27078 This]] from ''[[Website/NotAlwaysRight Not Always Working]]''.

* Showing up in several ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' books, the Campaign for Equal Heights is an advocacy group aiming to reduce discrimination against dwarfs. The Campaign is mostly run by humans who think that the dwarfs are being exploited, looked down on, or otherwise unfairly treated. Dwarfs themselves don't care much about what the Campaign is doing; they only want to work and send more money home. Besides which, as the narration mentions, if they ''were'' actually offended by something the humans did, they have their own ways of dealing with it. Typically involving battleaxes.

* [[http://notalwaysworking.com/a-rebel-with-too-many-causes/27078 This]] social justice warrior from ''[[Website/NotAlwaysRight Not Always Working]]''.

* Unlike many ''Franchise/GhostInTheShell'' fans, Creator/{{Kodansha}}, the publisher of the ''[[Manga/GhostInTheShell GitS]]'' mangas including the original series by Creator/ShirowMasamune, is [[http://kotaku.com/ghost-in-the-shell-publisher-never-imagined-a-japanese-1771992584 actually okay with]] the casting of Creator/ScarlettJohansson as the Major.

See also: MexicansLoveSpeedyGonzales.

*** Even among the niche of [[Series/PennAndTellerBullshit heterosexual Libertarian-leaning comedians and social critics]], this is a controversial position. The Boy Scouts Of America is known to get numerous special favors and preferential treatment from the U.S. Federal Government – the Army in particular – that amounts to a lot of tax dollars being used to support a heavily religious, socially conservative organization.

** WordOfGod stated that [[FunWithAcronyms S.P.E.W]] (Society for the Protection of Elvish Welfare) did eventually get off the ground, helping the House Elves who are abused by their masters (like Dobby was when he lived with the Malfoys, or Kreacher under Sirius Black), though now it knew better than to free them.

Someone broadcasts something that a {{White Knight|ing}} for some group [[UnfortunateImplications finds offensive]]. The thing is, though, the white knight in question isn't a part of the group themselves and is getting offended ''on the group's behalf''. The people who are actually members of the group think that the "offensive" joke is ActuallyPrettyFunny, and say such. Or they don't even care that they're supposed to be "offended".

* ''ComicStrip/{{Dilbert}}'' creator Scott Adams has taken his share of flak over the years for writing comic strips that offended people, and he noted in ''Dilbert and the Way of the Weasel'' that one of the most irritating problems he faced was WhiteKnighting by people who weren't part of the group he was taking the piss out of. His example was that if he made a joke about clown stereotypes, he'd get a lot of angry letters from his readers, but none of them would be from actual clowns.

Happens a lot in FanWank. Related to CategoryTraitor. ''Definitely'' does occur as TruthInTelevision -- yet note how many of the examples below still are StrawmanPolitical. Sometimes this happens because the white knight has [[SomeOfMyBestFriendsAreX a friend]] or a [[ThickerThanWater family member]] who's a member of the group.

* This is Pat's entire deal in ''Webcomic/{{Achewood}}''. He is never happy unless he has something politically correct to complain about, and if he has nothing in his immediate life that's wrong he'll be offended on behalf of entire other groups. He's really an insufferable ass who uses "being offended by something that should be offensive" to make himself feel superior.

* From 1999 to 2002, SpeedyGonzales cartoons were banned in the USA by Cartoon Network, who had exclusive broadcasting rights, due to concerns that the character was racist and offensive to the Mexican community. The cartoons returned to air after a massive fan campaign from Mexican-Americans and lobbying by the League of United Latin American Citizens revealed that most Hispanic people loved the cartoons.
* There have been numerous attempts by activists to get the NFL's Washington Redskins to change their name due to the fact that "Redskins" is offensive to Native Americans. This is despite the fact that several polls of Native Americans themselves have shown that they have no problem with the name [[note]] One poll came up with '''91%''' of Native Americans being in favor of it [[/note]] and are actually fans of the team because they use it.