So, WTF Rolling Stone? Dzhokhar Tsarnaev as a cover?

I haven't seen anyone support Tsarnaev's actions. Instead, it seems like a lot of the soft support he gets has been from women who just know that a cute-patootie like him had to be coerced into this by his older brother.

 

Not suggesting that he is getting any support. Just making the observation that there
are some parallels to the radical 60's. Big difference is that the 60's radicals garnered
more sympathy for their cause then the radical muslims of today.

Also the 60's had a much better music soundtrack.

 

I have zero issue with them doing a story on the guy. I think putting him on the cover is a pretty surprising choice.

Unless of course, RS is hoping to make news by putting the guy on the cover and then have people buy it to see what the big deal is.

 

I can see why. This guy was superficially a member of one of RS' target demos, college slackers, who wound up as a terrorist murderer. It's possible other slackers will be interested in that development.

 

It's not just the fact of putting him on the cover, it's the treatment. If you didn't know him by sight, and the headline was changed to dummy text, most of us would assume he was a hot young singer/songwriter.

 

Isn't that kind of the point? That a guy who looks like this is a mass murderer? Janet Reitman wrote the story, so it's going to be good. I love Rolling Stone, they do a fantastic job on these kind of stories.

 

They did an incredible story on one of the school shooters pre-Columbine... It wasn't a cover story though...

 

Sympathetic? That cover declares him guilty, and he hasn't even been to trial yet.

The Bomber.

 

In addition, they call him a monster in the subhead. I think a lot of people screaming at Rolling Stone are seeing the photo and nothing else. But as another poster pointed out, there might be a message there: anyone can turn into a terrorist, even young handsome people.

 

You could also look at the cover and think "Which guy from One Direction forgot to shave?" and not have any idea that the "Bomber" story had anything to do with the person on the cover, unless you recognized him. Most of us have seen this guy before, but that's definitely not a mugshot.

 

i think the cover image is reprehensible, no matter what verbiage they surround it with. that's a star shot. the bomber looks cool in that photo. he looks like a hero. as politicians have understood since at least the Reagan era, images overwhelm whatever verbiage surrounds them when it comes to making an impression.

do the story, fine. if you have to place the story on the cover, find a photo plan that is more about the victims, or at least the news event. but just putting the guy up there like he's an icon is the wrong choice. better to have a photo of lady gaga or whoever and just tease the bomber story with a cover line.

 

Respectfully disagree. I'm reminded of a scene from Broadcast News: "What do you think the Devil is going to look like if he's around? Come on! Nobody is going to be taken in by a guy with a long, red, pointy tail! What's he gonna sound like?"

The story is "How a Popular, Promising Student ... Became a Monster." Photo shows: A monster could be any kid, even one who looks like this.