Not sure how it's a strawman, but let's address his statement directly.
Do you agree with him that Python 3 strings are difficult for experienced programmers? Apparently they are difficult for Zed Shaw as I quoted above. And also since they're difficult for him, does that mean that beginners "don't have a chance"? Demonstrably false and arrogant claims like this one, as well as many others in his Python and C books, make him lose all credibility.
They are not difficult for Zed Shaw. You might not like his writing style, but disregarding context and interpreting statements literally that are quite obviously there for dramatic effect is in fact a strawman.
While I do find his writing entertaining, I wouldn't recommend it for beginners either. But not because he doesn't know how Python 3 strings work.
Python 3 was a disaster, and while his diatribe against it was questionable, the emotion behind it was not particularly misplaced.
Do you agree with him that Python 3 strings are difficult for experienced programmers? Apparently they are difficult for Zed Shaw as I quoted above. And also since they're difficult for him, does that mean that beginners "don't have a chance"? Demonstrably false and arrogant claims like this one, as well as many others in his Python and C books, make him lose all credibility.