I think the real point is there's defending GCC and there's "defending" GCC. Actually defending GCC means making it as useful and usable you can in the context of a robust, interoperable GNU ecosystem. "Defending" GCC includes creating pointless interoperability barriers and weakening other GNU tools in the guide of "protecting" copylefted crown jewels that no one wants to steal any more (those people have long since moved on to clang).