This is a great definition from Oxymoron.info: "An Oxymoron is a combination of contradictory or incongruous words, such as 'Cruel Kindness' or 'Jumbo Shrimp' (Jumbo means 'large' while Shrimp means 'small')."
There's an interesting list of oxymorons at Oxymoronlist. Here are a few from that list:
Affirmative action, almost candid, affordable housing, aging yuppie, arms limitation . . . you get the point.
Today Faultline USA proudly announces its nomination of the Oxymoron of 2012. It goes to Mr. "Republican for Obama," former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell!
There are many people who claim to be Republicans, and there are a lot of people who claim to be for President Obama, but most Republicans would happily tell you that you just can't be both and be considered even slightly "almost candid!"
Despite the fact that Republicans and President Obama don't share the same planet of ideas, values, or solutions, some people actually think they can be both. And "Yes" these strange Oxymorons actually do have a web site, Republicans for Obama. You can find them on Google.
Now there are many on the right who believe that Mr. Powell is just another "Identity Politics" player. And there are those on the left, who believe that Mr. Powell's contradictory nature can be explained away as a higher order paradox that few conservatives understand. But that's just how the left explains away everything they don't want to face from rising gas prices, freedom of religion, Libya, to the national debt!
You be the judge. Is Mr. Republican for Obama, our 2012 Oxymoron of the year, an identity politics player or just a pathetic paradox of nature! Oops gave myself away.
Mr. "Republican for Obama," former U.S. Secretary of State, Colin Powell