You may be in an abusive relationship if:

-- Your partner tries to control you by being very bossy or demanding.

-- Claims you are responsible for his or her emotional state.

-- Blames you when he or she mistreats you.

-- Has a history of bad relationships.

-- Your family and friends have warned you about the person or told you that they are concerned for your safety or emotional well being.

-- You frequently worry about how he or she will react to things you say or do.

-- Makes "jokes" that shame, humiliate, demean or embarrass you, whether privately or around family and friends.

-- Rages when they feel hurt, shame, fear or loss of control.

-- You leave and then return to your partner repeatedly, against the advice of your friends, family and loved ones.  

-- You have trouble ending the relationship, even though you know inside it's the right thing to do.  

The above list of warning signs was borrowed from this site: http://www.recovery-man.com/abusive/abusiv...

There are many types of abusive and dependent relationships and though some may consider this a poor analogy, I have wondered for some time now whether the GLBT community is engaged in a type of abusive relationship with the Democratic Party. How many times do we have to be humiliated, shoved aside, made promises that things will get better or that they will change, bear the brunt of rage/accusations when we threaten to leave, made to feel powerless, or blamed for our own victimization? Just when are the roses and promises to change not enough anymore? Will we keep going back time and again, willing to accept the humiliation and abuse because we've been told no one else would love us as they do?

Just some food for thought this morning. I've been mulling over the nature of this sad relationship for years now and I'm sorry to say it's getting mighty hard to defend why we stay.