Definitionally, it is (as per the Whitepaper). In your opinion, it’s not. And that’s fine.

Because the money is used to transact on a second layer doesn’t mean it doesn’t benefit from the security of the base layer in very important ways.

I don’t know what point you’re trying to make with the last two sentences.

If you’d like, pitch a rebuttal piece to my piece to Bitcoin Magazine. We welcome disagreement.