Hmmm, maybe I should add a YMMV to the redemption statement, like I did for the Lily love statement... Yes, I think I shall. *adds it* *cleans up post while I'm at it*
Snape behaved so terribly a lot of the time, I can understand why people have trouble making "on the side of good" jibe with "asshole bastard". I guess it's kind of like the love vs. obsession issue. How flawed can love be and still be called love? How flawed can one be morally and still be on the side of good?
I certainly agree that no matter how you slice it, canon Snape is morally ambiguous. And that's one of the things I love about his character. :) I'm a sucker for morally ambiguous characters (esp. if they have some kind of redemptive story arc). I love to send them (further) on redemption road in fic, heh heh.
The redemption statement is really there because of the crazy Snapefen. Some of the Snapefen who wanted Snape to be redeemed and think he deserved redemption, also think he didn't really get redemption in the books and they are butthurt and whine and moan and blame JKR and the wizarding world for it. They aren't blaming Snape for not being redeemed, they blame JKR and everyone but Snape. That drives me nuts!
Please feel free to join Snape Sanity, if you wish, BTW. I do want Snape Sanity to be a place for all sane Snape fans. (I blame the late hour that I posted the original list in, for my not pairing down all/much more of the frivolous stuff.) *^.^*