Great White Hope: racist? offensive?

AAllan at AOL.COM AAllan at AOL.COM
Mon Feb 11 20:44:17 UTC 2002


This inquiry came from the source indicated. If you can help, please be sure
to include

Ombudsman at cbc.ca

in your reply. - Allan Metcalf

-------
I work with the Ombudsman at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.  We deal
with complaints from the public about the CBC's radio and television
information programming.  A listener recently wrote to complain about a
journalist who used the expression "great white hope" to describe a
politician who had been given a new portfolio.  He felt that the expression
was offensive and racist.


I have spent some time researching the expression.  It's clear that it is
used extensively, but I have not been able to come up with any indication
that it is offensive.  I know that its use began when black boxer Jack
Johnson beat a white boxer for the heavyweight championship in 1908.


Would any of your members be able to tell me whether or not the expression is
considered to be racist, or provide any articles or references which may
answer ¯ or at least discuss ¯ the question?  Any help or suggestions would
be greatly appreciated.


Yours truly,


Laura Marshall

Assistant to the CBC Ombudsman

P.O. Box 500, Station A

Toronto, Ontario

M5W 1E6

Tel. (416) 205-2959

Fax (416) 205-2825



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