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If I say "Gridlock Gabe" to refer to the former DDOT director and now-regular Twitter/blog commentator on the Gray administration, that qualifies as a "personal attack"?

What about "Tommy 'Tax' Wells"?

Or "Tommy 'Tommy' Thomas"?

Or "Vincent 'Crony' Gray"?

Do all now qualify as "personal attacks"?

If I say the Committee of 100 is a bunch of reactionary old biddies, does that qualify as a personal attack as well? Or is there an exception for groups, rather than persons? So, for example, I could say both the Committee of 100 and the DC Council is composed of nincompoops, but I can't use the same term for any single, individual member of a group?

I'm trying to figure out where the goal posts are now, since I've referred frequently to "Gridlock Gabe" with nary a word of reproach. In my mind, there's a huge difference in mocking an elected/appointed/public official who has significant impact over people's lives versus mocking a private citizen.

But it's your blog and I'll abide by your rules. But it would be helpful to know where the goal posts are, rather than discovering that they've been moved on a lovely Sunday morning.

And, to be clear, my "personal attack" on the ex-DDOT director wasn't attacking his person, his personal life, or anything anywhere close to that area (which I believe should be off-limits). I was pointing out that it was his own decisions as DDOT Director that led to the mess on 15th Street & the irony that he's complaining to his former Department to fix the confusion created by his own policies.

by Fritz on Mar 13, 2011 3:11 pm • link • report