Java is good, but I always felt so constrained when writing code. It just felt like I had to write so much extra junk code like getters and setters that it made rapid prototyping which I do a lot a hassle.
Python was a breath of fresh air, and is a great language for hacking around in. Java is very useful and I still use it quite a bit.
I think Python is a slick language and tool and its Benevolent Dictator for Life is a knowledgeable and nice person. I ran into him while interning at Google (worked on the same team and almost did a project related to one of his).
I guess what I don't like is that devs of all kinds of backgrounds have been downplaying Java ever since its inception and in my view not always rightfully so.
My (admittedly subjective) impression is that this has been happening beyond the usual "religious programming language wars".
Developers writing native code are still complaining about Java's (supposedly) terrible performance, admin-focused scripters for lack of immediacy and web-focused coders for being bloated and not supportive of "agile procedure". I'd just like to point out that this language has become the "working man's language" and with it spans a wide variety of domains and features an incredibly large community. Perf-wise, I doubt that there is currently another language VM that has been better studied, optimized and supported than the JVM (Azul, anyone?).
Of course, the truth is that Java is a tool like every other language and has its proper uses and domains where I'd also pick a different weapon of choice.
I definitely agree the majority of Java complaints are from people choosing the wrong tool for the job.