I belonged to a very narrow circle of theorizers when I was under Rand's influence.
I don't know how to say this with out sounding like a complete "better than thou" snob, which I actually am not. But her goes.
It sounds to me like you still belong to a very narrow circle of theorizers under Rand's influence. If that were not the case, you could quite comfortably talk praisingly of her, while simultaneously being critical of her many views on which you find fault. Your apparent need to attack her, says to me that you are as much under her controll even now, as the many Randian Cultists are that can find no fault in her philosophy.
Shake it loose man. Rand was a highly successful writer who filled a void for a great many people, most of whom never became one of her followers. Rand pioneered new ways of explaining certain philosophical views (which she often failed to give proper credit for), in a very thought provoking manner, that otherwise at the time were not getting a fair hearing. The fact that she encouraged an army of delusional "secondhanders," who thought themselves above what they actually were, takes nothing away from what all she accomplished.
Likewise, finding disagreement with her points of view, and even challenging them as bad ideas, does not necessitate an attack on her goddes status, unless of course you still see her as a goddes needing to be dethrone.