Other software dictators do exactly the same, but in a more underhanded and bureaucratic manner, which is worse. Yet their disciples call them "benevolent".
I can deal with Linus, but not with the latter. Linus strikes me as not being really serious or vindictive. It's just a colorful way of expressing himself.
Why people feel attacked by Linus words is a mystery to me.
And the *reality* is that there are no absolute guarantees. Ever. The "Rust is safe" is not some kind of absolute guarantee of code safety. Never has been. Anybody who believes that should probably re-take their kindergarten year, and stop believing in the Easter bunny and Santa Claus.
This is needlessly talking down to competent developers as if they are deluded children. It's also not the only instance of it in the linked message. He would be far better off just going straight into the technical differences between what he is willing to permit in his kernel vs. what the Rust-oriented developers seek.