By having the surviving Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its front cover, Rolling Stone magazine has ignited renewed controversy, mostly from Boston-Area readers who are appalled by its editorial decision, USA Today reported on Wednesday. The article by contributing editor Janet Reitman is titled, 'The Bomber: How a Promising student was failed by his family, fell into radical Islam and became a monster.'
The lengthy article draws upon interviews with Tsarnaev's childhood and high school friends, as well as from neighbors, teachers and also law enforcement, Rolling Stone said. The edition is slated to come out on Friday, but advance news of the widely circulated cover photo has already generated outrage, largely on social media.
Tedeschi Food Shops, based in Rockland Massachusetts is refusing to sell the edition at its nearly 200 outlets, saying it "cannot support actions the serve to glorify the evil actions of anyone. Music and terrorism don't mix."
CVS Pharmacy also it was boycotting this edition, stating that, "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," the company said.
"Jeff Bauman, who lost both legs, should be on cover," one comment on Rolling Stone's Facebook page wrote.
Rolling Stone declined to comment to USA TODAY on the controversial cover, except to note that 40 years ago, the magazine also posted a polarizing cover of mass murderer Charles Manson.
Tamerlan Tsarnaev died during a shootout with police three days after the April 15 bombings that killed three people and injured over 260. His brother Dzhokhar has pleaded not guilty to 30 counts of a federal indictment in connection with the bombings.
