You Said It, Middletown: What do You Make of Rolling Stone's Cover?

We asked Middletown Patch's Facebook fans what they thought of Rolling Stone's cover photo and story, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev: Jahar's World, published this week. Answers ranged from "freedom of the press" to "bad editorial judgement" and one even raised the issue of presumption of innocence.

Here's what our readers said. What do you think?

We know you've seen it. Now we're wondering if you have an opinion on the cover, Middletown. Tell us what you think.

• Kevin: Ignore the Rolling Stone, they need the attention. They haven't been relevant for decades.

• Jolynn: I think that this is part of our problem recently — the media giving these nut cases their '15 minutes of fame' ... by memorializing these people other crazies out there will see this and come up with their own nutty plan to blow people up and have their name be remembered for eternity. We SHOULD be remembering the names of victims from the bombing, and Newtown, and other tragic incidents instead. The media outlets perpetuate the constant spotlight these nuts get, and it's time for them to stop. I'd rather hear about the life of a victim... That's more interesting to me. I wish I read rolling stone just so I could boycott it now...

• Alex: The article is really negative about him — basically look at the psychopath that lives inside this normal looking kid. In that context I think the image is really effective. Plus this image is old it was on the cover of the NY times around the time they caught him. Wasn't a big deal then. Isn't a big deal now.

• Angel:  Freedom of the press. Don't like it. Don't read it

• Chad: So much for the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law based upon evidence and not media reports... Ugh

• Marcia: The "rock star" photo is "martyr making," horrible idea.

• Heather: Wouldn't buy it just because he is on the cover! !!

• Jim: Ignoring what has created our monsters isn't acceptable; America is just afraid of accepting that he's only human, and that we are all capable of the same with the right chemical reactions and outside influences. We all know that the human psyche is formed by its environment and the reality that it creates — we need to slip by our ego and analyze this man as the human being he is, all "justice" aside (which is just our illusion of control taking advantage of us). Then we can learn; rolling stone is oddly way too mature than these Americans taking it off the shelves.

• Pedro: People still find Rolling Stone Magazine relevant for music and entertainment news? How they're still around is beyond me.

• Shaun: I think it's tasteless but I support freedom of speech.

• Trish: Disgraceful !!!!

• Drew: Sales of Rolling Stone are likely up 2000% in Chechnya. And maybe the article paints a picture of a monster but the most uneducated, angry, unemployed there in that region who dream of stardom may have just received a cover shot of their new savior. Had Adam Lanza of Newtown been more photogenic and fit the stereotypical rock start looks often glorified on newsstand covers maybe he too could have had been in the spotlight on the cover of the Rolling Stone.....then again maybe the editors would have used more sense? Where is the line drawn? I can only imagine the outrage in Connecticut that would have caused.

• Tara: They put Charles Manson on the cover and won a National Magazine Award.... But aside from that, freedom of the press people.

• Margaret: Not in good taste, poor judgement!
• Robert: Chad, innocent until admitted, and caught in a second attempt.
  

• Chad: Guilty as the state charges..lol Why have trials anymore?
  
  
• Robert: Sometime, it would save some time.

• Chad: Sure, but the US Constitution says otherwise. That's what we must go by.
• Robert: Zero argument there.
  

• Chris: They've stooped to the level of the National Enquirer. It's shock value sales tactics. It's the same BS as the people who make 4Loko...make something so insanely distasteful enough to raise national attention, sell a few million pieces before they shut u down and bail out.

• Pat: Perhaps putting him on the cover will deter future jihadists since the rock-n-roll lifestyle is diametrically opposed to extreme Islamist fundamentalism...

For the latest on this and all news from Middletown, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Make an announcement, trumpet your business news, speak your mind, or sell something on Middletown Patch's boards here.