Yes, it can and does happen, but not all over, and it's certainly not new. When it does happen, it may be for the reasons you suspect, but just as often for a variety of other reasons; some which may have never even occurred to you. To simply dismiss a company's decision that might favor C or C++ over "scripting" languages as "elitist", or to right all such decisions off to fear of the unknown, is itself an elitist and close minded point of view.

Most companies end up using the best tool for the job, even if it's not the one you , as the developer, would have selected. TMTOWTDI applies to making this sort of technical selection as much as it does to programming perl. Few hands-on technical people have very much of the big-picture perspective. As such, they might make the choice of best tool based on an overly narrow point of view. Some might even make the choice based on personal preference - talk about elitist.

In companies with knowledgable technical management, this sort of decision making can generally been done on mostly technical grounds. Then, it may fall to you to do a little local advocacy. But don't throw in the towel if it doesn't go you way this time - or next. Try and gain an understanding of the non-technical factors that influence technology choices and ask yourself if you think those are justified. If so, adapt your viewpoint to fit your environment. If not, strive to change the environment. If neither is an option, then you might not be a good fit with that organization.

I have a friend who is a brilliant System's Architect. He always approached his work from the perspective of trying to help the company make the best technology decisions. Yet he was also pragmatic, and a realist. He came in with a 5-year plan. If he were not able to move the company far enough in what he felt passionately was the right direction, then he would need to seek a more enlightened employer. Sadly he did leave to go elsewhere, but those of us left behind are still reaping the benefits of those cases where his view won the day. That's where we pick up the torch.