When you control the means by which it is accessed, you can place whatever controls you want on it. With how Apple controls the iPad, they certainly can control what you see. They've banned Flash, and they've restricted how you can install software.

And, uh, the openness of languages and tools is irrelevant if the platform (Flash) is closed. Also, the fact that distributors have to pay is the reason we don't have Flash 10 at the moment.