public static void main doesn't mean anything to a beginner. It is a mysterious black box that makes people feel...

intimidated?

I think this, and your identification of Perl as a language in which a beginner may face somewhat less intimidating introductory challenges is an excellent argument for "Perl first."

OTOH, the challenges of memory management -- while valid and important for the CS student; future system architect; and such-like -- are NOT, IMO, fundamental to the objectives for which some (or many?) seek to become programmers.

While that distinction may seem inappropriate to the CS-minded academic (or may be reason to consider restructuring curricula to separate the 'wanna-be 'mere programmer' from the CS-complete "computer scientist"), it might mean that, for example, the candidate for an advanced degree in Library Science or physics or whatever, would find "learning to program" a challenge within reach.