Sacred Haven of Debauchery

a) It's not a given that it would be better; it could have been a "second Tevinter" (Kirkwall has a society that studies the legacy of the Magisters).

As if Tevinter is a bad thing.

She went wild after the idol; before that, everything was harsh, but justified, given the circumstances in Kirkwall.

Well, yes, that's probably why the Templar initiates spread the darkest rumors about the trials for becoming, well, Templars. And various townspeople talk nonsense. It's nothing; Meredith just wanted justice. As did Anders, by the way.