I think you've missed a couple things. No one is or should be calling him a "bagger" for playing and winning Rec in the tournament last year (because you are right, first time tournament players are welcome to start at the bottom). The issue at hand is the guy wants to continue to play Rec (presumably at the same tourney this year) and he's essentially been told no. So he started the thread here looking for sympathy, empathy, or supporting evidence that he can take back to the TD in order to get his way. Obviously he's not getting it from this crowd (and rightly so, IMO).
He's not a PDGA member and he seems to indicate he's not interested in becoming a member. So there's no playing where he wants until his rating doesn't allow it since, well, he won't be getting a rating. But let's put that aside for a second and assume he is a member, and his lone tournament as a member was the tournament last year. From his rounds there, his rating would be around 950. Based on that, he can't play any Am division except MA1 (assuming he's under 40). That is the crux of everyone arguing against him being able to play Rec again (or even Intermediate).
So in all fairness, there really is no "let him play where he wants till his rating says otherwise". He has no rating because he isn't a member, not because he's never played a tournament. Without membership, he gets no privileges.