Rolling Stone's Controversy



Casey Holmes

September 17, 2013

Journalism

Block F

The cover and the article of the segment “The Bomber” was a very controversial topic that had a lot of justifiable negative feedback. Will, a friend of Jahar’s from high school, claimed there was a side to Jahar that nobody knew, “He kind of did, one time to me that he thought acts of terrorism were justified.” Even though he had only said it once, it was a tiny crack into his other side. “Jahar idolized his older brother, Tamerlan,” as did all of the children, following his footsteps as if he were a celebrity. Jahar always followed his brother Tamerlan first by doing boxing, then converting to Islam, and then working with his brother to cause a terrorist attack on Boston. The article profiled Jahar to be a good person because the Rolling Stone interviewed people that had a positive outlook about him. That is a completely different perspective than most of America.

            Jahar’s brother complained about America because he thought they had a “lack of values.” Bombing innocent people obviously lacks good values and morals. In the segment “The Bomber” the majority of it made him seem nice and innocent and then all of a sudden he became a monster. We can still tell that Jahar is self centered, and only cares about himself he “cried for two days straight after he woke up in the hospital.” The article made me believe that he was not crying for the people that died but since he came to the realization that he was likely to go to prison for the rest of his life.

            The cover of the article was a completely different part of the controversy. The picture they decided to use was Tsarnaev’s selfie, “the way he wanted the world to see him.” I feel as if he was going to be on the front page of the magazine he should be in his jail uniform. This would show that America doesn’t allow terrorism to dictate our lives. Rolling Stone magazine is where celebrities are recognized, not the face of a terrorist. People disapproved of it because it has Jay-Z on the side, and other famous artists who worked there way to fame, not destroying people’s lives. “Even if there was mental illness involved,” the Rolling Stone magazine should not be plastering his face on the front of the newspaper.

            I understand that the Rolling Stone is a magazine trying to cover hot topics and make a profit, like any other magazine, but I feel as if it should’ve been in a lighter tone. It should’ve been more sensitive to the people and the community affected by the bombings. The article should have been more focused on the countless acts of heroism instead of the one act of terrorism.