It allows you to get code into the kernel by way of sending patches. Eventually you may earn enough trust to get into some kind of power position. Surely you remember the liblzma/xz story.
These people don't even remember that the man in the telly told them something completely different a month ago. As far as they are concerned, they've always been at war with Eastasia. And you are expecting them to remember something and draw parallels?
register a free gmail account and come up with a fake name. Gotcha. Certainly no bad guy will ever think of this.