Gun Control & RKBA
In reply to the discussion: New policy discussion regarding individual and group insults [View all]slackmaster
(60,567 posts)This forum often sees attempts to pass off blatant individual or group smears by couching the terms in not so subtle ways.
I can name one classic from several years ago by a prolific contributor who ultimately got banned from DU for a chronic pattern of bad behavior and harsh comments on certain issues not related to firearms.
The person in question was called out by the mods for referring to people as "lunatic asswipes."
I believe one post with that term was deleted. But the next day he started accusing people of "lunatic asswipe behavior," "lunatic asswipe talking points," etc. Switching from noun to adjective or adverb does not remove the core insult.
To me, that is obviously still an argumentum ad hominem. The term became a source of a great deal of discussion.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=118&topic_id=80724&mesg_id=80724
I say zero tolerance for brinksmanship in the use of ad hominems. If you can't make a point without insulting someone or associating the person with an undesirable group such as the KKK, then maybe you don't have a point.
And for the record I am not an NRA member, but I have no problem with anyone using technical information provided by the NRA or presenting any actual published opinion of the NRA for discussion. But trying to put down a PERSONAL opinion with which you disagree as an "NRA talking point" (or "right-wing talking point" without a reference to a verifiable source, to me is an ad hominem attack and should not be tolerated.
In other words, don't accuse people of using NRA talking points unless you can prove that what the person wrote actually is from published NRA political opinion. Not technical information provided by the NRA, not something you think the NRA might have said.