Checking out what Federal Marshals can actually do

[yinyang172.livejournal.com]

Hiya I'm new and this is my first time posting so I really hope this thought doesn't come to bite me if I'm completely wrong. ^_^;;;

I got curious because I remember in one of the books that Anita said because of her Federal Marshal status she could walk in on any supernatural case. I checked out the official government website and got the feeling that she couldn't do that at all. The duties of a Federal Marshall are as followed from what I got from the government website:
*Judicial Security - protecting federal judicial officials
*special mission, programs- which has a special operations group that's specially trained tactical unit made of Deputy Marshals
*Witness Security Program
*Fugitive Investigations
*transportation of prisoners
*Prisoner services
*Asset Forfeiture Program- managing and disposing of properties belonging to criminals they got illegally.


The only thing that is seems LHK got right is that Anita can go through with Fugitive Investigations across states lines. I just feel that she has it wrong that Anita goes solo through out these. There are teams or units of Marshall and Deputies Marshall. I also couldn't find anything about them just deputizing random people for their needs like she did with Jason and the wererats. I believe they'll ask for assistance of local enforcement. But it seems that Anita is only qualified to do one of these duties of a Federal Marshal. She can't just wave her badge and demand to be let in on a case that deals with her field unless there's a court order.

I'm not sure if all my facts are correct since I only read the page that listed a Federal Marshalls duties. It just bugged me that she kept on waving her badge around or in Incubus Dreams that she was more than willing to go alone into the vampire nest without backup. I feel that just because she's a vampire execution made a F.M. doesn't mean that she shouldn't be on a team or in contact with other Federal Marshals in the state?
I guess I'm just confused.

Another thing off topic, I keep hearing Anita being Catholic. But in one of the older books didn't she tell Manny after the Pope excommunicated animators that she became Episcopalion or some other branch of the religion?

Comments

[drho.livejournal.com]

This 'research' of which you speak does not translate to Laurell. Perhaps someone should send her a federal marshal calendar.

[suzycat.livejournal.com]

She'll only look at it if it has pictures of hot androgynous Federal Marshals with really ridiculously long hair and freaky contacts.

[genchaos.livejournal.com]

Don't forget the conspicuous bulges in their pants. They practically need a third leg.

[easol.livejournal.com]

And leather. Lots of leather.

[easol.livejournal.com]

Again, the sad facts of someone who doesn't have the imagination to do alternate universe fantasy. It would be simplicity itself to write in a NEW federal position where she could make the rules for it, but instead she does a rotten job with a REAL position.

[shimmerfox.livejournal.com]

Or at least the sad facts of people who feel they need to 'fix' their new working federal position because of issues with things (like exes) that should have nothing to do with the book.

[dan-lian.livejournal.com]

I keep hearing Anita being Catholic. But in one of the older books didn't she tell Manny after the Pope excommunicated animators that she became Episcopalion or some other branch of the religion?

That's right... She "had" to become Episcopalian. But that would imply LKH actually remembers her own writing.

Not, say, puts everything on sticky notes then blames errors on other people. She's too good to forget, oh, sexual orientation!

*edited to remove 'research' from 'remembers her own...' because my mind cramped and I mistyped.

[rin-x-x.livejournal.com]

Nobody can "excommunicate" you from God. In the eyes of the Anitaverse's Church, she is not considered Catholic, though she can still practice and be a Catholic in her heart. The Pope can't take her faith from her, unless you believe in him that strongly. But thats a matter of opinion.

Of course, its just likely that LKH forgot and is just one of the many inconsistencies in her books. Le sigh.

Not to mention whoring yourself out to everything with two legs doesn't make one very Catholic, imho, considering her horrible excuses for doing so arn't really excuses.

[hookncrook.livejournal.com]

You make a great point...even excommunicated all that they deny you in church might be the host. Other than that the Priest might refuse confession. In theory, Anita could still attend Catholic service, but obviously her beliefs are not strong enough.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

This is something that's been irking the hell out of me, because back in the day being excommunicato was ZOMG BIG FREAKING DEAL!!!1! People sold their homes to bribe priests to give family members a Christian burial in case of monsters and damnation.

These days, it's not so much a big a deal unless you're a hardcore fundamentalist.

I'm just waiting for a vampire that's been through all this to freak right out about Anita being excommunicato. It's totally wishful thinking on my part, but at least if this happened, there'd be a reason to hate Anita rather than just because she's too precious for the rest of us.

[easol.livejournal.com]

"These days, it's not so much a big a deal unless you're a hardcore fundamentalist."

I would disagree, it depends on whether being denied said sacraments is a big deal to you. And since they are near the core of said religion... well, I think that the excommunication thing was used primarily to clumsily try to show how close Whorenita is to God, if losing certain sacraments was a big deal to her.

The problem with the whole excommunication thing in AB is twofold:
One, I don't think the Catholic Church excommunicates people publicly anymore. They may say that okay, you are if you do this and such unless you do the penance thing. But mostly I think they do not presume to know what is in your heart, and what you have or haven't decided.

Second, it's another sign of LKH's inability to really create a new fictional world -- she bases her necromancy big-deal-and-all on the religion's real teachings against necromancy and spiritualism. Problem is, her fictional brand of necromancy is nothing like what is forbidden, and one would expect this to be reflected according in this fictional version of the Church's rules.

But no, it just establishes that the Pope doesn't know how incredibly speshul and powerful and twagic our wonderful Anita is. And instead of trying to enlighten people who don't know and have it revoked, she gets pissed that anyone would DARE treat HER like this and stomps off in a huff.

And now of course, to quote a poster whom I can't remember, Anita no longer believes in God because obviously HE believes in HER. Ugh, I have to stop now.

[amamelina.livejournal.com]

Y'know, it takes a lot to be excommunicated. Like a major ZOMG sin. The last excommunication I can think of was for pedeophile priests, because they betrayed their office and vows and the trust of those around them. As near as I can tell, the Church does not just excommunicate if they don't like your life style (like raising the dead). If the Church were to do mass excommunications of any group, why have we not heard of other groups being excommunicated for what they are? Why just animators/necromancers? Why not therainthropes or vampires or even homosexuals? Y'know, groups that would ding right off the "they will burn in hell because we are the religous right-o-meter"?

Long post short, I don't think LKH thought this out very well.

On a side note, remember what's-his-name, the firebug Crusader in Burnt Offerings? Man, he was an awesome vampire. I liked him.

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

I was curious so I did some digging on it- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excommunication I'm centering on the Roman Catholic Stance here though the article goes though many religions.

Per here they state that being excomminicated doesn't mean you are out of the Church and can never come back, it's a message to the rulebreaker "Hey you screwed up...now you need to fix it." The stance of the church on excommunication is that "We never toss anybody out, but by acts and deeds you can toss yourself out." Take that however you will. She can also still recieve Reconcilation but the terms of her Excommunication might restrict whom gives her the sacrament. She can also attend mass and would be encouraged to, but she would not be able to Recieve Communion or particpate in the service. The act of actively shunning/avoiding the Excommunicated is no longer practiced. The Excommunicated are still considered Catholics since the act of Baptism cannot be 'undone' per say.

So Anita CAN reverse her own excommincation she will need to stop raising the dead, or make the case to the Church that her acts of raising are not sinfuland be absolved by a member authoized to lift the ban, a Bishop for example.

[amamelina.livejournal.com]

or make the case to the Church that her acts of raising are not sinfuland be absolved by a member authoized to lift the ban, a Bishop for example

Y'know, I remember Anita mentioning that if she didn't raise the dead, the power leaked out of her and would do it on its own. Like when she accidently raised her dead dog. She has a case right there, and it surprises me that there are no other Necromancers/Animators in her world who would challenge being excommunicated. She can't be the only Catholic Animator. Why hasn't anyone else challenged that with "It happens on its own if I don't have an outlet"?

Of course, being that this is Anita we're talking about, she wouldn't be interested in such things. She's more happy to float along with the current and not do a thing.

[shadwing.livejournal.com]

That makes a whole different case, if it was something uncontrolable and needed control and usage to keep whole graveyards from raising on their own then a very strong case could be made to the church about the need of the church in the lives of Necormancers to help them cope with this ability and excomminication would do more harm than good

And on another note this is something else "Bad and Evil" that Anita 'cannot control' and 'must do it against her will' so in essence keeping the good girl persona. Such a loss of plot bunnies

[dwg.livejournal.com]

I don't mean, "oh dear, I can't be buried on sanctified ground, what a pity," I mean the people who go into a panic that OMG NEVAH GOING TO HEAVEN EVER!!!!!!1!!! DUN WANNA DANCE WITH BEEZELBUB FOEVAAAAAARRRR!!! and then do crazy things like drown their children because they think they need baptising. That's the kind of zeal I'm talkin' about.

I don't see it as a way to single out Anita specifically, because like she mentioned, she became an Episopalian. Who dabbles in voodoo.

And it's right there where it becomes unhinged, because why, for the love of ducklings, would a devout Christian practice voodoo? I mean, other than to raise zombies? Because the Christians probably have their own rituals lying about in some dusty vault somewhere. Or hell, there was the Millennium episode of The X-Files with zombies that ran along the same thing.

But other than that, the Catholic deal always struck me as one of those side notes that LKH never follows up on, like the lycanthrope safehouses and Addison vs Clarke -- she throws it in there to try and say, "this is a major and complex world, zomg" and then moves right along to something else.

Like I said, I am waiting for something from a time when religion was the most important thing ever to come along and freak out about Anita's laxed beliefs and really shake up her notions of faith. As the last time we saw anything about that was in BM with the demon and that was the last we heard of it. She's slid down the ladder a fair bit since then.

[dwg.livejournal.com]

No, no, this is interesting stuff, and it's people like you that can usually put into words the ideas better than I can. I think I had something like that in the back of my head, but then went off on a Sin Eating tangent and just didn't want to type it up because then I'd have a Giant Ranty Comment of DOOM of my own.

Plus, it's things like this that help poke holes in the claim of all this thorough "research" that goes on. (and it's even funnier after listening to the podcast. XD)

[dwg.livejournal.com]

You know, I read this and just went, "Sam Gerard would totally kick Anita's butt."

Because Tommy Lee Jones is made of win. Seriously, you'd think that LKH would just watch The Fugitive or US Marshalls for 'research'.

[zombiexbunny.livejournal.com]

I love Tommy Lee Jones *happy sigh* And him chasing Harrison Ford? How can you lose?

He is the most awesome Federal Marshall EVER.

[moonsinger.livejournal.com]

She was born Catholic and switched religions after the Pope excommunicated necromancers from the church. Episcopalians are similar to the Anglican church which split off from the Catholic church in England under Henry VIII, but not the same as the Catholic church.

[longtail.livejournal.com]

I always kind of suspected that she had that mixed up with FBI. But I'm not wildly well versed on it.