I think that a lot of the kurfuffle viz. trek's response is a forum cultural shear. Trek's site is on Discourse, which has its own stricter rules of engagement that supercede those of the broader FOSS community. The rules on Discourse are moreover reasonable and well-advertised, even if you (or I) find them a touch stilted. It is trek's right and freedom to maintain whatever culture he sees fit on his site.