The Red Phone

A pretty amusing little article in this week's New Yorker about the recent protest/campaign in NY which focused on getting ordinary Americans in NY to talk to ordinary Iranians on the phone:

""My name's Blair," he said into the phone three times, each time a little louder. "I'm from New York." Shadi told him that she has relatives in Los Angeles. "I don't care much for L.A.," Blair said. "Is there a rivalry between two cities in Iran like there is between New York and L.A.?" The translator tried to explain the question. "You know how we joke about the Qazvinis and the Rashtis," he said in rapid Farsi. "She doesn't want to stereotype anyone," he said to Blair with a shrug. "O.K.," Blair said. He gave up on his attempts at levity and, instead, asked about which Iranian films he should rent."

More Here.