And I didn't mention the guidelines (i.e. newsguidelines.html). On that note, though:
> the site guidelines[...] aren't a list of proscribed behaviors but a set of values to internalize. I'd say "Please respond to the strongest plausible interpretation of what someone says, not a weaker one that's easier to criticize" covers this case pretty squarely
What part of the guidelines are you referring to?
Also, despite the quotation marks, I don't think they mean to quote you. They're just rephrasing you as they understood you.
Coincidentally enough, I've just done that too in another comment:
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=41442007