BY SHARON MARTIN

I follow politics like some people follow sports teams. And I thought I had learned a thing or two about why people vote the way they do. But I must say, I’m at a loss right now.

I realized as much when this post from a friend showed up in my News Feed: “I am absolutely sick to death of people constantly running down the president. FYI friends … I feel about Obama as you do about President Trump [or rather I dislike him much more than you could ever dislike President Trump].”

She had dozens of likes and positive responses to her remark. And as I’ve been doing since the election, I’m pondering what it is about our current president that anybody finds likeable.

He lies. He cheats. He isn’t kind. He doesn’t care what damage his actions inflect on other people. He is totally self-absorbed.

Now, President Obama is not perfect. Neither is Secretary Clinton, Sen. Sanders, or any of the other humans I hold in high esteem. But if any of these people were in charge of the White House, I wouldn’t be this scared.

Is that what a good leader does, make people afraid?

Why does anyone think that President Trump is going to be good for the country? Hate and rancor don’t make jobs and they don’t make us safe.

Is it about party?

I make most of my political choices based on party platform. And, yes, there are bad apples in both baskets, people who go into politics for personal gain. But Democrats, for the most part, try to spread opportunity to as many people as possible.

I believe that Earth belongs to all of us, that there is more than one way to worship, and that we all deserve certain basic rights. Cooperation is good for the human race.

Is it that Trump voters just don’t agree that all humans have rights? Do they think that some people are more deserving of justice than others, that only Christians have a right to the planet?

What makes some people hate President Obama? What did they fear about him? Why do they mistrust Secretary Clinton? Is it a matter of where one gets ones news?

I want to understand. How have some of my friends and I come to such radically different conclusions?

– Sharon Martin lives in Oilton, OK and is a regular contributor to The Oklahoma Observer