Why are the Vanyar higher than the Noldor?

[the phantom]

So, in the same way that the Noldor were found guilty of slaying the Teleri when only some of them did it, that's the same way the Valar are guilty.

Very interesting point, Iarhen. I had never thought about that in exactly those terms before. The book said only some of the Noldor started the initial boarding of the ships, the Teleri started throwing them overboard, fighting broke out, and the majority of the Noldor started fighting in the belief that the Teleri had been ordered by the Valar to halt their march. Most of them didn't know what was going on, and can be excused in the kinslaying.

That is, unless, you believe that kinslaying for any reason is wrong, and in that case, the Teleri was just as guilty, despite the fact that they were acting in self defense (but obviously, no one is down on the Teleri).

The Teleri are excused because they were attacked, but remember, the majority of the Noldor thought that the Teleri had attacked them, so if the Teleri are excused, then so are they.

You can't pin the crimes of one or a few on a whole group of people. If you can, then Iarhen is right, the Ainur are also a bunch of murdering scum, because some of them (Melkor, Sauron, the balrogs) did bad things.

Once again, very interesting point, Iarhen.