Thursday, October 23, 2014

NY Times Goes to Iran -- Ironic?

Article: The New York Times, one of the most trusted and celebrated sources of news in the world, is offering a 13-day trip to the "once-forbidden land of Iran" for $7000 a person. The New York Times' motto is "All the News That's Fit to Print" and prides itself as a bastion of liberalism. Yet they are not printing in their advertisement that Jews, gays, and anyone who has an Israeli stamp on their passport is not welcome on the trip. Kids: why? The purpose of the trip is to learn about Iran, yet the trip skips over Iran's desire to have an atomic weapon, its hosting of anti-Semitic conferences, its entrenched hatred of Jews and Israel, its public lashings and killings of gays and women, and its persecution of non-Muslims. Kids: why?

Kids: why is it ironic that the NY Times is sponsoring a trip to Iran if the NY Times also purports to support liberal values? (Parents, help unpack this question for your kids) What could be dangerous about going to Iran as a tourist? Why are people interested in going to Iran? Do you think an American trusted news source should promote a trip to a place that discriminates and persecutes Jews, gays and minorities?

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