I'm not sure that conversation is a good example of what you are trying to describe.

Let's see if someone did the following things to the python project:

1#: Hire away the package maintainer. Then rather than continue and finish any current work, effectively remove that person from the community project.

2#: Redesign underlying structure of the project (like say, PyPy), but don't discuss any changes with the community. No PEPs, no discussion on mailing lists, no communication what so ever.

3#: Ignore current list of new feature being worked at. Community goals are unimportant.

4#: Add code regression! Do not care about maintaining performance.

5#: Demand that the changes get implemented immediately in next official release.

Would anyone expect that to actually work today? Sure, Stallman could be more diplomatic and find (and succeed) with a middle ground solution, but the above steps are not how you join an ongoing software project.