In Quebec, L'Action française was first the name of a periodical, but also the name of a league (1921-1927), which was supported by a group of self-styled defenders of the French language.

A self-styled defender of traditional American values, he has adopted a time-honored Republican campaign strategy, pitting himself and his party against those he says scorn the institutions of family, religion and patriotism.

Labazanov assumed a role of a "Chechen Robin Hood", a self-styled defender of the people against the oppressive authorities.

Not surprisingly, Gates's views have been attacked by a broad spectrum of critics, from black separatists intent on promoting "Afrocentricity" to self-styled defenders of Western culture who decry the spread of "victim studies."

The Mayor, the City Council, the city's teachers, self-styled defenders of good government and a medley of political candidates and gadflies have all waxed apoplectic on the subject.

Donald R. Taylor, executive director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, said he understood why "the disciples of dependency, the self-styled defenders of the downtrodden," would question that decision.

The shrillest self-styled defenders of children deny them any gumption, individuality or wickedness; these adults imagine children as dependent creatures whom well-meaning adults must defend against other adults, the ones who would exploit and defile them.

Certain self-styled defenders of working people want to emasculate the directive, and to render it toothless.

Founded to Fight Persecution These are the Hibernians, self-styled defenders of the church whose conservatism is rooted, paradoxically, in the persecution that Irish Catholics suffered at the hands of the English.