Scarpia ponders waterboarding

The current Dallas Opera production of "Tosca" is excellent. The soprano is outstanding; the sets and costumes are lavish; the orchestra sound is rich; the men are handsome. Scarpia, the despicable chief of police, is portrayed as a vile cross between Snidely Whiplash and our own "Decider".

Scarpia uses the torture of Magdalene painter Cavaradossi to compel sexual favors from the artist's love, the diva Floria Tosca. How sad on this gorgeous nearly-spring day at a fabulous performance of Puccini's opera of love, faith, art, and corrupt absolute power, I'm thinking of Bush's veto. I'm pretty sure Scarpia sang an aria with these lyrics:

The bill Congress sent me
would take away one
of the most valuable tools
in the war on terror

So today I vetoed it
So today I vetoed it
So today I vetoed it

This is no time
for Congress to abandon practices
that have a proven track record
of keeping America safe

So today I vetoed it
So today I vetoed it
So today I vetoed it


By JENNIFER LOVEN – 1 day ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush said Saturday he vetoed legislation that would ban the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods such as waterboarding to break suspected terrorists because it would end practices that have prevented attacks. http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hNORmRm4JahUoi8tBwl8CvvliqygD8V9BH28K

Then Scarpia told Spoletta to fake Cavaradossi's execution as was done for Count Palmieri. Nothing goes well for any character after that. Nothing will go well for our so-called civilized nation, either. Our moral standing in the circle of nations is at an all-time low.

© 2008 Nancy L. Ruder