The start menu is more efficient (takes less or the same # of steps to do things), contains more features for accessing, organizing and managing shortcuts, has more shortcuts for easily accessing other parts of your computer such as network, devices, control panel, etc., better search (although search is apparently improved in 8.1), nested folder support, has true context menu functionality, and doesn't break workflow by covering up the entire screen when you want to launch something.
All management of shortcuts can be done within the start menu itself. With the start screen you need to open the actual folder in explorer (which is still ironically called the Start Menu folder in Win 8) even just to rename a shortcut or access shortcut properties.
Calling the start screen a "reskinned start menu" is false and ignores the many differences, all of which are reductions or removal of previous functionality.
As for calling people who prefer the start menu dumb, ignorant, haters, scared of change, etc.. name calling is not a particularly convincing argument. Once you start blaming your customers for rejecting your product, you're well on your way to market irrelevancy.