Maybe you should write in your native language, and let everyone else to learn the language. I don't like when people criticize your writing skills when it's not your native language.
I don't think the criticism was intended in a negative spirit. Getting a native speaker of the language to help edit your writing is a very helpful suggestion. It's a good way to improve your own language skills, while still making your writing available to other audiences. I would definitely encourage people to still publish in their native language though. As you point out, it encourages others to learn other languages and will be very helpful to your fellow countrymen.
I have no inside information, but reader has in my opinion been a long standing poor performer. Groups seems like something that will be eaten by Google+. Neither groups nor reader have the new google UI.