First off, I'd like to say it's really impressed me how civil everyone on this forum is. I've been on other forums, and in a lot of them, if there is a thread "one ship vs. another", you can practically hear the screaming and ranting from miles away. LOL
Anyway, obviously, I'm a spuffy (and a cangel, for that matter). But I don't have any kind of ethical problem with bangel. I never felt like they were bad for each other or he was holding her down. Their love for each other was, I guess you could call it "epic". But bangel is a total cliché, and, I don't mean to offend anyone, but very Twillight-esque. I mean, it's very rare that a normal person will find love like bangel's with another person. I love spuffy because it's realistic. It's not perfect by a long shot, and they both have hurt each other very much. I don't like a lot of their scenes together. But their relationship is just human, human love, human interaction, and human passion. That's what makes their love so special. They make each other feel human; that's one of the reasons why spike fell in love with her in season 5, that's why Buffy started it in season 6, and that's why they have such a connection in season 7. Bangel is just so idealized (not exactly sure if that's the right word); and I think that Buffy and Angel are just so caught up in their own fairytale with princesses and dark avengers, and their relationship doesn’t leave room for much character growth. Bangel's love is pure yet very fantastical; Spuffy's love comes from a human place of deep understanding. Anyway, enough rambling; I hope you all can understand where I’m coming from and not take any of this as offensive. Have a good night all: D