Some within the MAGA cult like to delude themselves into believing that my hatred for Trump stems from whatās reported on MSM or posted on social media. Iām now gonna set the record straight, though know that despite the length of this post, itās highly condensed. I lived my whole life in New York, either in or just outside NYC. And I, like so many others in the Tri-State area, have been watching Trump on the local news long before the nation ever heard his name. And my hatred for that man has little to do with his politics, but rather his character. Back in the 80s when he first came on the scene, I regarded him as a narcissist, gaudy and garish, with an extremely inflated sense of self-importance. I neither liked nor disliked him, but merely dismissed him as just another privileged asshole. Then, I heard how he prevented minorities from renting his apartments, and that he shafted contractors ā the working class, small companies, mom-and-pop shops who were struggling to survive, by paying them pennies on the dollar for services rendered. He even put some out of business. He then began slapping his name on inferior products, swindling the consumer like a snake-oil salesman, and created fake charities where heād use the proceeds to buy tacky art and other luxuries. And this is when I began to dislike him. Then came 9/11. Just hours after the horrific attack, Trump bragged in an interview that his building at 40 Wall St was now the tallest in Lower Manhattan. His disregard for the thousands who perished, and his disrespect for the families in mourning had convinced me that heās a revolting human being. Now, I began to despise him. Then came Celebrity Apprentice. Iād watch the boardroom scenes when a contestant sat across the table about to be fired. Often, theyād squirm for their survival by laying the blame on others, and ā to steal a phrase from the show ā āthrow someone under the bus.ā As the bickering began and discourse ensued, Trump would relish these moments. Yet every now and then, a contestant would take the high road, accepting responsibility for their actions and receiving the consequences with grace. It was these moments when Trumpās vile character would rear its ugly head, demonstrating his resentment for dignity, as he poked and prodded, instigating conflict between the contestants. Instead of revering decency as a guiding light toward self-improvement, he fought tooth and nail to drag that person down to his level. Seeing this, I thought ā what a disgusting trait for a human being to have. Thank God heās not President. And this is when I really began to loathe him. Then came Obama. I watched Trump doing the talk-show circuit, one interview after another demanding that Obama present his birth certificate, asserting that he wasnāt born in this country. And even after it was produced, he promised us, PROMISED, that heād present evidence to the contrary, evidence that never came. And my loathing for him only grew. Then, he came down that escalator throwing his hat into the presidential ring. While he vied for the Republican nomination, calling his opponents childish names like a punk-ass bully on the playground, Iād hear people say, āOh donāt worry, once he wins the nomination, heāll rise to the occasion.ā And Iād reply, āWhat evidence in his fucking character leads you to believe that?ā Then, he won the nomination, and continued with his vitriol. And the same people would say, āOh donāt worry, once he wins the election, heāll rise to the occasion,ā which I met with the same reply. And when that dark night fell upon this nation, Trump never rose to the occasion. He never understood the weight of the office, never appreciated the immense responsibility of that sacred post, never took the helm to steer our country toward greater pastures. Instead, just like his days on Celebrity Apprentice, he fought tooth and nail to drag the office down to his level, along with this nation and all his supporters. And he continues to do so to this day. I used to believe that I could never loathe another human being more than Osama bin Laden, but then came Donald Trump.