IRAN. Shiraz. 2010. A passing couple lit by a streetlamp. I was in Iran with my dad on a tour of ancient archaeological sites. It was the only way we could visit as visas are not ordinarily granted to American citizens. While traveling through Iran I’d often skip the guided events to wander the streets. Sometimes
I was followed, but inevitably a young man would overcome his shyness and come up to me to
practice his English, ask about America, and talk about his love of American TV. Favorites were Sex and the City and 24, a show about an American counterterrorist agent. 24 has received criticism for glorifying torture and negatively depicting Muslims. In November 2006 the dean of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point met producers of the show and asked them to stop
depicting torture, fearing the huge popularity of the series in the American military was leading
to copycat abuses. The show toned it down, but did not stop its depictions.