> Python programmers on the other hand must be more proficient because their language is harder to use.

I'm not sure I concur. My own experience was that gaining some degree of proficiency was easier in Python than Perl. Some things caused me grief in the beginning, like $_, automatic flattening of lists (thus requiring understanding references), and the implicit conversions.

Perl's concept of DWIM means that it has exceptions to every rule. Python has its own problems (hohoho, does it ever!), but it's explicit without trading off much flexibility.