c++ Is assert evil?

The Go language creators write^*:

Go doesn't provide assertions. They are undeniably convenient, but our experience has been that programmers use them as a crutch to avoid thinking about proper error handling and reporting. Proper error handling means that servers continue operation after non-fatal errors instead of crashing. Proper error reporting means that errors are direct and to the point, saving the programmer from interpreting a large crash trace. Precise errors are particularly important when the programmer seeing the errors is not familiar with the code.

Surely they're being faggots, right?

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^* http://golang.org/doc/go_faq.html

An assert will do the same thing as an unchecked exception would, the only exception is that the assert (normally) should not be kept for the final product.

If you build a safety net for yourself while debugging and building the system why would you deny this safety net for the actual enduser of the code. Use exceptions exclusively for both asserts and exceptional situations. By creating an appropriate exception hierarchy you will be able to discern very quickly one from the other. Except this time the assert remains in place and can provide valuable information in case of failure that would otherwise be lost.

So I fully understand the creators of Go by removing asserts altogether and forcing programmers to use exceptions to handle the situation. There is a simple explanation for this, exception are just a better mechanism for the job why stick with the archaic asserts?