Counterpoints:
* Presumably the protesters would have a tabloid treatment in which Rolling Stone would place horns on Dzhokhar Tsarnaev. Perhaps that would have made this nonsense go away.
* This is good journalism, as the photo depicts the same Dzhokhar Tsarnaev that The Post and the New York Times - and others - depicted in deeply reported pieces. That is, a regular, good guy with friends, interests and activities - a “joker,” even.
* Showing this alleged bomber in his full humanity makes him appear even more menacing.
* Some are saying that Rolling Stone is exploiting this image - this story - for commercial gain. Well, Rolling Stone is a magazine. It exploits all its stories for commercial gain, some more effectively than others.
Erik Wemple, Washington Post's blogger on news media.
Can you imagine how many people will see this, think he's a hot new rock star and end up joining Al-Qaeda?!!
The "Boycott it! Ban it" censorship bores are out in force over this one, of course.
If you Google "Rolling Stone Boston Bomber", the most popular adjective used to describe the photo appears to be "dreamy"...
Imagine the outrage if the dude was SHIRTLESS!
THAT WOULD BE THE PORNIFICATION OF TERRORISM!!!
BAN EVERYTHING NOW!!!!!!!!!!
PS Worth noting Wemple is one of the few journalists covering this to point out Jahar is the alleged bomber.
Update: Photos of the "Boston Bomber" after he's been shot all good, of course.
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