Just some random, probably redundant, musings on oxymorons:

Most things identified as oxymorons are intended humorously.

The term oxymoron does not mean a contradiction in terms; rather, it means an apparent contradiction in terms. Whether or not it is an actual nonsensical pair of words is not predetermined. The first example I had heard was weeping optimists. If they’re optimists, how can they be sad? Well, optimists look on the bright side of the future; maybe they’re sad about the past. Or maybe they just got something in their eyes.

How about victorious defeat? Like, when you sue the school district for the right to dress like a nun, and you lose the case, but in doing so you tremendously raise the consciousness of the plight of nun-impersonators in our nation’s schools.

Anyway, the point is, saying somebody made an oxymoron isn’t really a criticism; it’s only a criticism if they did it accidentally or if, upon further refection, it really doesn’t make sense.