Rolling Stone cover Are stores going too far in pulling the magazine

The image of accused Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev in what many see as a rock star pose has drawn a firestorm of criticism. At least six retailers have vowed not to sell that issue of Rolling Stone.

By Chelsea B. Sheasley Correspondent / July 18 2013

Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appears on the Rolling Stone magazine cover of the Aug. 1 issue.

Wenner Media/AP

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At least six retailers with strong New England ties are vowing not to sell the Rolling Stone magazine with a glamorous image of the accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on the cover.

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CVS Walgreens and Rite Aid promised not to sell the issue as did Massachusetts based grocery and convenience stores Stop Shop Roche Bros. and Tedeschi Food Shops Fox News reports.

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 Rhode Island based CVS pharmacy said in a statement.

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Music and terrorism don t mix Tedeschi Food Shops posted on its Facebook page Wednesday. The company wrote it cannot support actions that serve to glorify the evil actions of anyone.

The magazine s use of a self portrait of the 19 year old with tousled hair in what many see as a rock star pose for its cover drew a firestorm of criticism and concern after the magazine released a promotional image Tuesday.

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino blasted the decision saying that the cover choice was ill conceived at best and that the magazine rewards a terrorist with celebrity treatment.

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The survivors of the Boston attacks deserve Rolling Stone cover stories though I no longer feel that Rolling Stone deserves them Mayor Menino wrote to Rolling Stone publisher Jann Wenner according to The Boston Globe.

Rolling Stone defended itself Wednesday releasing a statement saying the story falls within the traditions of journalism and the magazine's long standing commitment to serious and thoughtful coverage of the most important political and cultural issues of our day.

The fact that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is young and in the same age group as many of our readers makes it all the more important for us to examine the complexities of this issue and gain a more complete understanding of how a tragedy like this happens the statement said.

Most of the criticism is directed at the magazine s cover image rather than the five page article written by contributing editor Janet Reitman who spent two months interviewing people close to Mr. Tsarnaev.

While public opinion in New England has largely been against the magazine some commentators criticized the retailers' decision to pull the issue.

A long list of local stores have simply refused to carry the issue as if none of us is strong enough to see it or to decide for ourselves whether to buy it Boston Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham wrote Thursday.

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has been hard to understand Ms. Abraham argues because he appears a more complicated mix of a normal youth and an alleged murderer than his older brother Tamerlan.

To see him as that skinny kid on the ground after he was captured by law enforcement or on the Rolling Stone cover is to confront the possibility that good looking kids who seem totally normal good students who give off no sign of trouble at all can become monsters too she wrote.

If we are strong enough to survive these attacks surely we re strong enough to talk about how that is humanly possible.

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