4 | THE STAT E N E WS | M ONDAY, JULY 2 2, 2 01 3 | STATENE WS.COM
Featured blog
Opinion
Anti-immunization efforts hurting children
OU R VOICE | E DITORIAL
ROLLING STONE COVER NOT GLAMORIZING BOMBINGS
“I remember my vaccination shots with the same lack of enthusiasm as most. Sitting down in the doctor’s office, the walls coated in colorful paint meant to distract me from the impending agony.” — R.J. Wolcott, State News reporter
EDITORIAL BOARD Dillon Davis EDITOR IN CHIEF Michael Koury OPINION EDITOR Ariel Ellis MINORITY REPRESENTATIVE R.J. Wolcott STAFF WRITER
O
n the current issue of Rolling Stone magazine, accused Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev appears on the cover in a featured story about the teenager. The cover features a scruffy-looking picture of Tsarnaev, which has been circulating multiple media outlets before appearing on Rolling Stone. The choice of Tsarnaev on the cover has garnered significant coverage, with many people
It’s a psychological, in-depth look at how this “popular, promising student ” became what now many refer to as a “monster.” The cover is overshadowing the content of the article, and if people read it first, maybe they would understand the choice of the picture. Besides the argument being about Rolling Stone, much of the backlash comes from how people wanted Tsarnaev to be this nameless, faceless person they could hate and not look at. It’s not about getting Tsarnaev sympathy, which many believe the magazine is doing by placing him on the cover. Others are angry with Rolling Stone, as they believe giving Tsarnaev all this attention might cause copycat attacks by people looking to get famous, and saying this isn’t something it should even be covering as it is a music magazine and the cover portrays Tsarnaev as a rock star. There always is going to be people who are going to infl ict terror. Faces such as Osama bin
angry at Rolling Stone, feeling the magazine was glamorizing the Boston Marathon tragedy and exploiting it. Many convenience stores that carry Rolling Stone, such as 7-Eleven, CVS pharmacies and others, are boycotting the magazine, refusing to carry the edition, as they feel it’s insensitive to the people hurt by the tragedy. Many individuals also are protesting the magazine by refusing to buy it. It’s OK these people are offended by the choice of the cover. These people still are reeling from the bombings and still healing from something they might not comprehend. But isn’t that the point of what the article and Rolling Stone are attempting to do? Trying to comprehend something people don’t understand? Getting to the bottom of why this seemingly normal kid decided to do this terrible thing? If people took the time to read the story, then they would realize it’s not trying to glamorize Tsarnaev but it’s trying to get to know this person who would allegedly go on to set off bombs along with his brother, Tamerlan, killing three people and injuring more than 200.
Read the rest online at statenews.com/blog.
Laden and the Unabomber were on magazines and newspapers such as Time and the New York Times. It never came into question due to the nature of the publications, whose niche is hard news and investigative journalism. Rolling Stone, while known as a music culture magazine, has done some of the most in-depth, thoughtful and political stories in the past decade, including the 2010 profi le of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, which prompted his resignation. The Boston Marathon bombings was a tragedy, but what Rolling Stone is doing by publishing this profile of Tsarnaev is not trying to glamorize the hurt he caused. It’s to try to understand why he did it.
COLUMN
EDITORIAL CARTOONIST
WAITING ON TOMORROW: RESPONSIBILITIES COME FIRST, FOR NOW
E
sibility isn’t the easiest thing to do. I had an obligation to show up to work every day, had an obligation to increase my debt by attending a university for a degree that might, one day, be a faded piece fl ight risk. of paper hanging in a closet-sized Certainly, after a long day at living room. But then there was the notion work or sitting through three classes for a good portion of the that I was obligated to myself. Coming from a small famiday, there are days I want nothing more than to go home, take a ly that lived in a small suburb of nice, long shower and climb into Metro Detroit, life always was borbed, pretending I don’t have to get ing. I took the bus to school, sat through six periods of class, took up in the morning. Most days, despite the beck- the bus home and did my homeoning from comfortable pajamas work. A series of actions that hasn’t and Ben & Jerry’s, making that changed, a part from a few added responsibilities. fi nal turn around Pictures of foreign before my apartPHOTOGRAPHER cities adorning my ment complex is walls, my computthe most diffier desktops, my cult thing I’ll do school folders. The all week. It’s not Eiffel Tower, the that those three Statue of Liberty. things didn’t At a young age, I sound appealing. wanted to go someIt’s that I wanted where to see someto do them someDANYELLE MORROW thing beautiful. where el se — dmorrow@statenews.com I felt like I owed some place no one it to myself to get knew my name. I wanted to run. I wanted to drive away from the monotony of a small and keep driving until I ended suburb, from school work, from life. up in Chicago or New York or Los I was obligated to do what my parents had never done. I was obligatAngeles or Miami Beach. When you move off campus ed to travel and give myself a purfor the fi rst time, you suddenly pose. A purpose I seemed to lack in become an adult. You have those a small suburb. A purpose I someadult phone calls to make, bills to times feel I still lack in a college pay, rent, roommates and an entire town where only 30 people know household to manage. Most of my name. How was I supposed us, as second- and thirdto know what my destiny year college students, would be if I couldn’t go off probably haven’t had to to fi nd it? balance a checkbook or On the days where I wonpay bills before. All of der if I was meant for someus will silently question thing bigger, when I think why math classes never about how little of the unitaught practical things The verse I know, looking at like that. cheap plane tickets to ranWe suddenly take on routines cities became one of full-time jobs along with become so dom my favorite hobbies. our classes so we can pay Despite the fact college the bills and suddenly our ingrained, students have little to no weeks turn into a routine. changing money, something was holdWake up, go to class, go to ing me back from pressing work, go to bed, maybe do them is the purchase button, packing some laundry. It repeats a hassle. a bag and disappearing. on a daily, weekly basis. It was the notion of small The routines become so We’re experiences. ingrained, changing them stuck in a It might be a small town, is a hassle. We’re stuck in routine, but it’s in this small town I a routine, in a small colin a small became accustomed to worklege town. ing long hours and gained I hate being stuck. college experience in the field of Wanting to disappear study I’m looking into. It’s to a place where no one town.” here I will meet heartbreak knows my name, where and love and friends I will I could get lost in a city of other people’s thoughts, fi nd hold onto forever. The same people myself in the middle of someone I’m stuck with are the ones I love to be around. From late night trips else’s life. It was a dream I had no obliga- to Meijer to getting lost on streets tions. I didn’t have to answer to my I’ve never heard of, the small disfamily. I didn’t have to answer to coveries we make together are preso many friends. I wondered, some- paring us for a lifetime of amazing times out loud, if I disappeared, discovery together. I’m not stuck. I’m letting my who would miss me. I figured most would understand, assuming most desire to disappear grow until the people had the same dream: Aban- moment it bursts, and I’m holddon your responsibilities and leave ing onto people that will gladly the country. Change your name, purchase the cheap plane tickets with me and disappear into a world become a new person. But abandoning your respon- we’ve never been a part of. veryone has dreams. Mi ne, on a da i ly basis, consist of running away. I am a
“
MICHAEL HOLLOWAY mholloway@statenews.com
THURSDAY’S POLL RESULTS
Total votes: 44 as of 5 p.m. Sunday
No 30%
?fn Zfe]`[\ek Xi\ pfl <Xjk CXej`e^ n`cc Y\ XYc\ kf Yi`e^ `e dfi\ pfle^ gif]\jj`feXcj6
None 76% 74%
TODAY’S STATE NEWS POLL
68%
What’s your opinion of the Rolling Stone cover? To vote, visit statenews.com.
One 23%32%
0
10
20
30
40 50 60 PERCENT
70
80
Confident, I think it’s pretty determined Not so confident, college students run this town
Comments from readers
To share your thoughts on this story or any other stories, visit statenews.com.
■■
“Zimmerman verdict exposes racial tensions” In my opinion the reaction to the Zimmerman/Martin case is miss-directed. Yes, it was a tragic situation. But the reaction is directed at the wrong issues.
Whenever I see that sweet young boy’s face I can’t help but think of how tragic it is that a man with a gun killed him.
Every week in LA, you see the same ‘baby-faced’ black youths arrested for shooting some innocent kid (infants or 1 or 2 years old) with their stray bullets as they act out their gang-related shenanigans. Every week you see a 15 or 16 year old “youth” arrested for a murder and then tried as an adult. Every week you see people in South Central LA cry and yell for the police to protect them from the same “children” in gangs who are terrorizing their neighborhood.
(comment continued at statenews.com) Marcia, July 15
If he had not been walking around after dark he would have been alive today. We need stronger curfew laws.
(comment continued at statenews.com)
(comment continued at statenews.com)
LA Spartan, July 18
Kathic, July 15
We want to hear your thoughts. The State News welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must include your year and major, email address and telephone number. Phone numbers will not be published. Letters should be fewer than 500 words and are subject to editing.
How to reach us Questions? Contact Opinion Editor Michael Koury at (517) 432-3070. By email opinion@statenews.com; By fax (517) 432-3075; By mail Letters to the Editor, The State News, 435 E. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823