I don't get it. Using these frameworks has nothing to do with the user either not being able to write markup, or just generally sucking at doing so. The abstraction isn't 'useless'. It gives you a choice, though. If someone is feeling more comfortable writing raw SQL then do so, ActiveRecord isn't stopping you. That's the great thing about Rails. If you want to write raw markup, sure, go ahead; just don't use any of the helpers provided.

Regardless of the means of transport, we're achieving the same goal. How we achieve this is usually personal preference. And for that reason rants like this will always come and go, just as responses like mine.