BY SHARON MARTIN

Lines to a stranger who accused me [and the president] of hating God’s chosen people:

I don’t hate anyone except the man

who killed my dog,

and I’m working on that.

But whatever makes you think God plays favorites?

And don’t go quoting a translation

of a translation of a translation of His book

to prove that he is as hateful

as people are. He’s not.

He doesn’t hate Muslims.

He doesn’t hate atheists.

His son made it clear

He doesn’t hate sinners.

What makes you think God is pissed

at Barack Obama? Our president is human,

like you and me and previous presidents,

sometimes wrong,

but he didn’t lie us into a war

that killed thousands of God’s children.

God is not in the punishment business.

Men who don’t know any better

take care of that mayhem all on their own.

And in our ignorance, we perpetuate

the myths of hate.

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