I get why Mr. Friedman and other amp builders like Suhr might be afraid of Kemper and the technology in general. It makes rational economic sense why they see the danger of competition.
It depends. Plenty of amp builders get along and are friends. Even Mr Friedman is a part of Boutique Amp Distribution which distributes other brands like Wampler, Bogner, Egnater, Morgan, Diezel, Tone King, and Soldano. They also make the Synergy system and he's designed a module of the BE preamp for it. That's definitely a "newer" technology, plus Friedman has an officially licensed amp sim through Universal Audio and says nice things about the OX cab emulator. He seems to understand the modern player is seeking quieter, more convenient options to the traditional 100W heads and wall of 4x12's, as much as he says he loves them.
I guess my point is they aren't so afraid of technology or even competition to a large degree. Unlike a modeler where a group of software engineers program their interpretations of an amp, cab, mic, etc, the Kemper feels different because it takes from an existing hardware. I think that's what feels objectionable to them. They feel, right or wrong, that people aren't buying their amps because they're buying profiles of their amp and thinking it's the same.
Economic motivation is a powerful incentive which tends to make all of us say things, and act in ways, that we believe will benefit us.
100% agree, which is also why I've said I don't completely agree with Friedman's view. It also cuts both ways with some Kemper users feeling threatened or offended by the suggestion that they may be part of an ethical or moral problem and lashing out in their own self-interest.