Oh, HELL, no...

I've trawled the net far longer than most people I know, and in my virtual wanderings I've gained much insight into the darker depths of human nature, particularly in matters of depravity and ignorance. It's not a pretty sight, but, as with video game violence, there's always the small comfort to be gained from simply turning away from the screen, scratching a purring cat between the ears and telling myself it's ok, it's just one of those rare little things far, far away in another country, where, no doubt, there are moderating influences from skeptics, atheists and other decent people affronted by failures of good sense.

So imagine my horror when I open up today's paper and find this whopping great leap backwards into the realm of stupid. Long story short, PAS' (the Islamist party) candidate for the Kuala Terrengganu by election was selected by the party president's (Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang ) divine inspiration. Not making this up. His exact words:

"I had this dream that we should field (Mohd Abdul) Wahid Endut as the candidate."

"I am confident that he is the right candidate to guarantee us a thumping victory with the blessing from the Almighty."

A dream. That's his "basis". You know what I'm thinking? I'm thinking this is another Patrick Stewart facepalm moment. I'm thinking yet another new low has been reached when a leader of a political party cites "divine inspiration" as his one and only basis for selecting a candidate.
But, on the other hand... That article was in the Star, and, as we've seen from their level of reporting integrity, odds are the PAS prez's words were taken out of context.

Either way, this is not a game that can be won by an atheist voter. On the one hand is BN, a hapless mess of racist, nepotistic and utterly corrupt old men, blithely churning out infantile platitudes while voraciously shovelling taxpayer money into their pockets with their chubby little (and some suspect blood-stained) fingers. And on the other is PR, quietly disintegrating (like Anwar's credibility) and lumped with a component party so ludicrously backward as to take religious scripture as a basis for government.

I swear, the only way to look at all this happening around me and stay sane is to get some popcorn and think of it as entertainment...