Rolling Stone magazine features accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 19, on the cover and will hit newsstands Aug. 3. The public has waged war via Facebook and Twitter, and CVS and Tedeschi Foods have promised not to sell the magazine.
CVS wrote on its Facebook page:
“CVS has decided not to sell the current issue of Rolling Stone featuring a cover photo of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect. As a company with deep roots in New England and a strong presence in Boston, we believe this is the right decision out of respect for the victims of the attack and their loved ones.”
Tedeschi Foods, based in Rockland, Mass., posted the picture with a line crossed through it on a Facebook page and stated, “ . . . music and terrorism don’t mix!”
Rolling Stone’s Facebook post had nearly 5,000 comments Wednesday morning after revealing the cover Tuesday, July 16. Reportedly, Adrienne Graham commented, “Oh look, Rolling Stone magazine is glamorizing terrorism. Awesome, I will NOT be buying this issue, or any future issues.” The magazine features an in-depth profile on Tsarnaev, entitled “Jahar’s (Dzhokhar’s nickname) World. Writer Janet Reitman spent two months interviewing childhood friends, teachers and law enforcement agents for insights on the accused bomber.
Cover photography is a glossy, photo shopped picture which originally appeared on Dzhokhar’s Facebook page, in which the infamous teen looks like a “rock star. Since anger and indignation was voiced, Rolling Stone has posted the entire article online. One member of the “Free Jahar” movement tweeted, “#BoycottRollingStone calling Djahar a monster and stirring the pot even more shame on you! Innocent until PROVEN guilty,” tweeted @Jahars_Tsarnaev,” according to a CNN report.
Critics say Rolling Stone’s actions blur the line between genuine fame and notoriety, and Northeastern University criminologist, Jack Levin, per a Fox News report said, “If they want to become famous, kill somebody,” is the message it sends. “The Bomber” is displayed on the cover and also reads, “How a Popular Promising Student Was Failed by His Family, Fell Into Radical Islam and Became a Monster.”
Dzhokhar Tsarnaev and his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26, were accused of planting twin bombs at the iconic Boston marathon bombing where three were killed and more than 260 were injured. Tamerlan was killed in a shootout with police in Watertown, Mass., and younger brother Dzhokhar was captured. On July 10, Dzhokhar pleaded not guilty to 30 counts of a federal indictment. If the government seeks capital punishment, he could face the death penalty.
