August Issue of Rolling Stone to Feature Boston Bombing Suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev [POLL]

Rob, Kat, & Chandelle weigh in on the upcoming August issue of Rolling Stone, a magazine with a rich history in music and entertainment, will feature Boston bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on it's cover. We want to know what you think.

The forthcoming Rolling Stone cover promises an inside look into "The Bomber, how a popular, promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam, and became a monster." The Rob, Kat, and Chandelle were discussing Dzhokhar Tsarnaev being on the cover, and we would really like to know your thoughts on this as well.

The Rob:

Seeing alleged "Boston Bomber" Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's face on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine is certainly very shocking and powerful. The space that I associate with some of my favorite rock stars and pop culture fixtures is now being reserved for one of the world's most disgusting villains. The cover also does seem a bit glamorous, with nicknames in big letters like "the bomber," buzzwords like "popular," and photo filters that make him look like the lead singer of a rock band. However, many publications, newspapers, magazines, websites, TV stations, etc. have used that photo in similar fashion. If something like Newsweek or Time had done the same thing, I'm not sure people would have thought twice about it. My understanding is that Rolling Stone will be giving the story legitimate hard news coverage, and if that's the case, why should we hold Rolling Stone to a different standard than other magazines? But I do admit, something about that cover feels dirty...

Kat:

When I think Rolling Stone magazine, I think celebrities, musicians, even politicians... but suspected terrorists? That is not something I would ever associate with Rolling Stone. I do associate investigative journalism with the magazine - think "Almost Famous," but for some reason this time around, the idea of Boston bombing suspect, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the cover leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I just don't like it. I feel as if this somehow is glamorizing someone who is responsible for something so horrific. In my mind, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is a monster, and should not be on the cover of such a historically beloved magazine like Rolling Stone.

Chandelle:

I don't exactly think of Rolling Stone as the first magazine I would go to for hard news. When I think of Rolling Stone, I think of music and rock stars. So seeing someone who caused so much devastation through out the country making the cover of such a well know entertainment magazine seems like we are giving him attention that he may not deserve. Although seeing him on the cover doesn't outrage me at all or make me angry in any way, I still wouldn't purchase the magazine, or probably even take the time to read the article.

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