There are bad guys and then there are accomplices — those who see what’s happening and for reasons of maintaining personal safety, fear of revealing a larger truth for which they may be equally accountable, or worst of all, apathy — they do not blow the whistle.

Here are some of the greats, providing their thoughts on the evil of accomplices:

 Indifference, to me, is the epitome of evil.
~Elie Wiesel

 All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
~Edmund Burke

 There are two kinds of evil people in this world. Those who do evil things and those who see evil things and don’t try to stop it. 
~Janis from “Mean Girls”

I’m with Elie, Edmund and Janis (and Cady and Damien, too). There are all kinds of bad guys out there, but those who refuse to speak up for those weaker than they are, are some of the worst.

Here’s Where You Come In
I’m working on a subtle naming convention, wherein some of my characters with traditional archetypes (angel, devil, victim, perpetrator) have the same initials as well-known people who have helped design those personas and etch their profiles into our everyday understanding of the world.

Please help me name my “accomplice” character by adding a comment below with the first and last name of history’s greatest accomplices. Ideas provided so far include:
Catherine Greig (Whitey Bulger’s girlfriend) – Thanks, Colleen
Joe Paterno (Jerry Sandusky’s co-coach) – Thanks, Dad
Some Roman Dude (???) – Thanks for nothing.

GO! Name that villain!