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I want to punch Ghwazee in the face. I know what it's like to be fiercely protective of fictional characters, and I've often viewed the actions of the characters I favor in the best possible light. For example, I'm a lapsed Snapeist, but when I was actively involved in the HP fandom, I routinely defended his often atrocious treatment of the Trio. I liked that he was one of the few Hogwarts faculty members who didn't let Harry skate by just for being The Boy Who Lived. I often pointed out that Harry was often an obnoxious, dismissive, reckless, snotty fuckwit, and that Snape was the only adult who had the gumption to call him on these faults.
I insisted he was doing the right thing in the wrong manner. I was, and still am, a Snape apologist. So, I know about being a defender of fannish faith.
But goddammit, Stella is wrong for defying Mac's direct order to let the matter of the Greek consulate be. Not because the order issued from the mouth of Mighty Mac; indeed, if that were the sole criterion with which to judge the rightness of her actions, I'd shake her hand and wish her luck, because Mac is a master hypocrite. It's not even because she's disregarding a direct and very explicit order from a superior, because well, Mac often wipes his tightly-clenched ass with the chain of command when it interferes with his holy crusades.
She's wrong because she's involving and thereby endangering other people in her vengeance quest. If she were going this alone, I'd call her a fool, to be sure, but I'd respect her for being so dogged. As it is, she's dragged other people into an action that is taking place without the sanction of the NYPD, and more importantly, without its protections. Right now, Stella and Angell are on their own, and if something goes wrong, there isn't going to be a Kevlar cavalry outside the door. And what about the counterfeiter she's strong-armed into helping her? Yes, he's a crook, but he's not a violent felon as far as we know, and he clearly is under the impression that Stella is operating under the aegis of the NYPD. Who's going to help him once Mr. Tall, Dark, and Skeevy catches up with him?
If Stella has informed Angell that she's operating "off the reservation" and risking her career, then Angell is a grown woman who's capable of making her own decisions, but if Stella hasn't laid all the cards on the table, then Stella is blithely and willingly risking Angell's career and life for her own ends without informing Angell(or anyone else) of the extent of the danger she faces, and that's wrong any way you slice it. In fact, that's disgusting and morally reprehensible, and no amount of single-fingered fannish whitewashing will change that. Period.
I insisted he was doing the right thing in the wrong manner. I was, and still am, a Snape apologist. So, I know about being a defender of fannish faith.
But goddammit, Stella is wrong for defying Mac's direct order to let the matter of the Greek consulate be. Not because the order issued from the mouth of Mighty Mac; indeed, if that were the sole criterion with which to judge the rightness of her actions, I'd shake her hand and wish her luck, because Mac is a master hypocrite. It's not even because she's disregarding a direct and very explicit order from a superior, because well, Mac often wipes his tightly-clenched ass with the chain of command when it interferes with his holy crusades.
She's wrong because she's involving and thereby endangering other people in her vengeance quest. If she were going this alone, I'd call her a fool, to be sure, but I'd respect her for being so dogged. As it is, she's dragged other people into an action that is taking place without the sanction of the NYPD, and more importantly, without its protections. Right now, Stella and Angell are on their own, and if something goes wrong, there isn't going to be a Kevlar cavalry outside the door. And what about the counterfeiter she's strong-armed into helping her? Yes, he's a crook, but he's not a violent felon as far as we know, and he clearly is under the impression that Stella is operating under the aegis of the NYPD. Who's going to help him once Mr. Tall, Dark, and Skeevy catches up with him?
If Stella has informed Angell that she's operating "off the reservation" and risking her career, then Angell is a grown woman who's capable of making her own decisions, but if Stella hasn't laid all the cards on the table, then Stella is blithely and willingly risking Angell's career and life for her own ends without informing Angell(or anyone else) of the extent of the danger she faces, and that's wrong any way you slice it. In fact, that's disgusting and morally reprehensible, and no amount of single-fingered fannish whitewashing will change that. Period.