Thursday, August 12, 2010

Francisco Ximénez de Cisneros and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation




It’s Friday, August 13th, 2010. The Guantánamo war crimes trial of Canadian citizen Omar Khadr is in its second day, his lawyer having collapsed in court at the end of the first day. Today, The Current interviews Cardinal Francisco Ximénez de Cisneros. Nobody – even in Guantánamo - expected the Spanish Inquisition.

Good morning. I’m Anna-Maria Tremonti for The Current, Friday, August 13th, 2010. Today, we have an extended interview, through the magic of radio, with the man who led the Spanish Inquisition, Francisco Ximénez de Cisneros. Then, in our second hour, I have no idea what's happening.

That’s it really. I’m Anna-Maria Tremonti and this is The Current.



AMT: Cardinal Ximénez, good morning.

CXC: Who are you? I think you are a harlot. You are dressed like a harlot.

AMT: Cardinal, you led the Spanish Inquisition in the time of Isabella and Ferdinand, and now you can see the fruits of your labour in the war crmes trials in Cuba.

CXC: I have no idea about that. Obviously, we failed to extinguish the Moors in Spain, despite my best efforts, but the Faith was transported to the New World.

AMT: I understand you lived for a time in a hut that you built yourself in the mountains, and flagellated yourself on a regular basis.

CXC: And your point is...?

AMT: I'm only saying your experience might have influenced your view of the Guantánamo war crimes trials.

CXC: What are war crimes?

To be continued...