Community Corner

Readers React to Rolling Stone Cover of Accused Boston Bomber

Readers speak out on Rolling Stone's decision to run the Boston Marathon bomber suspect on the cover of July's edition.

Written by Valerie Engler

By now, you’ve seen the cover. The July edition of Rolling Stone sports a self portrait of the accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

By now, you’ve seen the local reaction. Drug stores, like Fridley's CVS and Walgreens, say they will not carry the magazine, in a protest of sorts.

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But we want to know: Will you, personally, protest the racey editorial decision? A Nashua Patch blogger said that he intends to boycott the “advertisers of Rolling Stone magazine.”

On Thursday, we asked Fridley residents what they thought about the magazine cover. Here's what they had to say on the Fridley Patch Facebook page:

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  • Michelle: Absolutely! what was RollingStone even thinking? Despicable...
  • Katarina: I am "cool" with the businesses that choose not to sell it but I don't completely agree with the outrage. I understand it but don't feel it myself, I guess. Apparently, things are worse than we thought: We have run out of rock ’n’ roll musicians.
  • Dani: Hell no! This is censorship!
  • Amy: Controversy sells! It's strange that it is rolling stone but Hitler, Columbine shooters, McVeigh and others have all had there own magazine covers.
  • Mary: Why sensationalize a killer?
  • Christine: Instead of his photo it should be the officers picture who lost his life during the gun battle with these scums
  • Lori: I don't like it but gets people talking. And lets not forget that Charles Manson was also on the cover of Rolling Stone!!
  • Chris: Don't care...
  • Kari: Way to glamourize a mass murderer Rolling Stone!!! 
  • Pam: Way to glamorize a mass murderer CVS and Walgreens. By pulling the magazine they just further the curiosity. Did they read the article---obviously not. It's not the first time Rolling Stone has covered the story behind the monster. Charles Manson 1985.
  • Robbie: Although" I "do think it is, in bad taste to put these murderers on the cover of ANY mag .
  • Pam: They aren't in the business of good taste. The TV news has his picture on several times a day.

Do you have an opinion about the cover? Will you stop buying the magazine? Will you stop going to the stores that sell it? 

Tell us what you think by starting a board post or starting a blog. Your thoughts matter to your community, and to us. Share them freely on Patch.

If you're interested in more information on starting a blog on Patch, email hannah.gruber@patch.com

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