There was no "spat"...The language isn't important.
There was no spat until Jerry said "I think he has met with some of our empty vessel members". And the language, contrary to your assertion and exemplified by this example, is all important particularly so in this context.
The "spat" was indisputably initiated by Jerry's unfortunately worded, if essentially correct, statement - being the first reply in the thread as I recall. And it was rightly picked up by George as being both inappropriate in general and against forum rules in specifics.
You can't have it both ways, one day bemoaning the laxity of the moderator for not clamping down on miscreants and another day, when it suits your purpose, denigrating his efforts at modration despite the fact that they are in full acordance with forum rules.