Oh, I agree that C++ doesn't make much sense as a first language in 2012. I was just pointing out that a few years ago, the trend was toward teaching Java which is, in my opinion, even worse as a first language because you're forcing people to immediately dive into dealing with classes before they even understand what a class is.
Today, I'd agree that Python -- and possibly Ruby -- is a better first language, but when this was happening they weren't particularly mature. You just didn't have the kind of mature, syntactically-clean, object-oriented languages available that you do now. Even so, I never understood why you'd choose Java with all its excess syntax to teach a beginner.
Started learning python on my own around age 19 and everything just skyroketed from there. I'm much more comfortable using( saying that lightly ) C++ these days but I can't imagine ever recommending it to even an enemy as their first language.
An aquaintenance on a board somewhere put it best, " C++ is like a hurricane. Gorgeous but incredibly destructive". Personally I think it all looks hideous but I get the point now.