main question seems to be whether I endorse their launch strategy or anything else about it.
Main question is the contrast to when Dash is launched with better distribution than Steem you make it your multi-year mission mission to label it a scam and people selling with profit scammers.
And the rest of the Monero brigade is too confused or afraid to attack Steem for the same reasons they relentlessly attack Dash year after year. Perhaps Steem needs to add privacy features until that starts to happen?