# Does this Rolling Stone magazine cover offend you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 17, 2013, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774 "2013-07-17T18:10:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/201 "2013-07-18T17:40:07Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > No, it won’t. The federal government is going to prosecute the guy for terrorism and it’s an open and shut case with a confession. It doesn’t matter what some dumb kids say. And however much a circus his trial might’ve been, Manson is serving a life sentence and just about everyone connected to him is doing the same. That’s just a waste of taxpayers money, of course “what dumb kids say” is pretty much what the media reports on these days. Hell what I read on twitter is on CNN, ABC and PBS two days later. So of course RS and the media is salavating over the dollars it’s going to generate… Meanwhile families who have to deal with painful rehab and death also have to struggle to find the funds to do so. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/202 "2013-07-18T17:45:22Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > That’s just a waste of taxpayers money, of course “what dumb kids say” is pretty much what the media reports on these days. Are suggesting that he not be tried? Just, what, shot? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/203 "2013-07-18T17:45:25Z")
Actually, I think I might buy this Rolling Stone copy, probably the first new RS I’ve bought in 20 years. It sounds like an interesting read. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/204 "2013-07-18T17:46:41Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > That’s just a waste of taxpayers money A trial? > [@Leaffan](#): > > Actually, I think I might buy this Rolling Stone copy, probably the first new RS I’ve bought in 20 years. It sounds like an interesting read. It’s an interesting read, and it’s better than I thought it would be. ---
**Author:** ![Andiethewestie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ba9def/32.png) [@Andiethewestie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andiethewestie)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/205 "2013-07-18T17:48:51Z")
> [@Emiliana](#): > > Are suggesting that he not be tried? Just, what, shot? Wow. There’s absolutely nothing henious about a fucking rag cashing in on this creep, except he looked pretty and at least 16,000 fucking twitter followers are going immortalize that stupid cover on their bedroom wall. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/206 "2013-07-18T17:51:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I don’t think it is. Why should we pretend we don’t know who committed a crime? > > Nobody thought you were proposing a law (and I’m not sure Stalin needed laws to accomplish this), so that’s not the point. The point is the concept of pretending to erase someone’s existence as a show of disapproval- as if prison or execution didn’t already send that message pretty clearly. I’m not saying we should forget the names for our benefit. Nor am I saying we shouldn’t use their names based on some philosophical principle. All I’m saying, is that maybe, labeling these guys with generic monikers might give future shooters/bombers less of an impetus to do such vile things. Maybe, instead of mowing down a school full of children, they’ll just off themselves instead. Who knows? It couldn’t hurt. I don’t feel remembering these guys name is so important that we have to do so at the expense of innocent victims. ---
**Author:** ![Emiliana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@Emiliana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emiliana)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/207 "2013-07-18T17:52:52Z")
> [@Andiethewestie](#): > > Wow. There’s absolutely nothing henious about a fucking rag cashing in on this creep, except he looked pretty and at least 16,000 fucking twitter followers are going immortalize that stupid cover on their bedroom wall. What does this have to do with the expense of a trial? And have you read the article by any chance? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/208 "2013-07-18T17:53:22Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > A trial? Tried & hung by an article in a rag like The New York Post. Yeah, thats the ‘right’ use of what few tax dollars America is allowed to collect. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/209 "2013-07-18T17:58:07Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m not saying we should forget the names for our benefit. Nor am I saying we shouldn’t use their names based on some philosophical principle. > > All I’m saying, is that maybe, labeling these guys with generic monikers might give future shooters/bombers less of an impetus to do such vile things. Maybe, instead of mowing down a school full of children, they’ll just off themselves instead. So you’re proposing it because ‘think of the children?’ That’s not better. > [@](#): > > Who knows? It couldn’t hurt. I doubt it’d have any effect on the handful of people who do things like this for no reason (which probably doesn’t include terrorists anyway), and yes, it does hurt us. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/210 "2013-07-18T18:01:05Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > It is a news magazine doing a news article on what is, without a doubt, the biggest news story of 2013. Anyone who is “offended” by that is an idiot. Rolling Stone, a news magazine? come on, man. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/211 "2013-07-18T18:01:14Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > The acts yes, the names no. So we would use “John Doe” and “Richard Roe” to refer to H. H. Holmes, Hitler, Himmler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Attila, even the legendary Cain? What utter, brain dead nonsense. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/212 "2013-07-18T18:04:04Z")
> [@PhiloVance](#): > > Rolling Stone, a news magazine? come on, man. Are you keeping up with this thread or are you still under the impression that Rolling Stone just reviews records? ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/213 "2013-07-18T18:05:34Z")
> [@PhiloVance](#): > > Rolling Stone, a news magazine? come on, man. Have you been reading this thread at all? Rolling Stone has been publishing investigative pieces like this for _ **decades** _. It’s not new and it’s not even newsworthy. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/214 "2013-07-18T18:12:08Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > So we would use “John Doe” and “Richard Roe” to refer to H. H. Holmes, Hitler, Himmler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Idi Amin, Attila, even the legendary Cain? > > What utter, brain dead nonsense. We’re not talking about historical figures here, we’re talking about some stupid kid. And you’ve completely missed my point. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/215 "2013-07-18T18:25:42Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > So you’re proposing it because ‘think of the children?’ That’s not better. Yes, because _any_ time we think of the children it’s just righteous bull shit right? > [@](#): > > I doubt it’d have any effect on the handful of people who do things like this for no reason (which probably doesn’t include terrorists anyway), and yes, it does hurt us. You doubt, but you don’t know. And how exactly does it “hurt” us? Also, I don’t think I’ve made this clear. For news stories to be _completely_ devoid of names would be asinine. I hope that’s not the impression I gave you earlier. All I’m saying is the _proliferation_ of such names and imagery is attractive to the psychos out there who want their 15 minutes of fame. If they get the impression that they’re just going to be referred to as psycho 123, and his name will be forgoten a week from now. Well, that whole “Going out in a blaze of glory” thing just became a little less attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/216 "2013-07-18T18:33:26Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Yes, because _any_ time we think of the children it’s just righteous bull shit right? No. But ‘think of the children’ is used to justify all manner of ridiculous ideas, and unfortunately this is one of them. > [@](#): > > You doubt, but you don’t know. And how exactly does it “hurt” us? It robs us of information and context and interferes with our ability to be informed. > [@](#): > > Also, I don’t think I’ve made this clear. For news stories to be _completely_ devoid of names would be asinine. I hope that’s not the impression I gave you earlier. All I’m saying is the _proliferation_ of such names and imagery is attractive to the psychos out there who want their 15 minutes of fame. I agree everybody should be judicious in covering this kind of stuff, but what kind of limit are you proposing, then? How would that actually work? > [@](#): > > If they get the impression that they’re just going to be referred to as psycho 123, and his name will be forgoten a week from now. It won’t, though, since people do tend to remember the names of the guy who killed their friend/family member/etc. > [@](#): > > Well, that whole “Going out in a blaze of glory” thing just became a little less attractive. A little, maybe. But I’ve always figured that by the time you get to this psychological stage, you’d be satisfied with the idea that you killed a bunch of people and affected a bunch of lives whether your name gets attached to it or not. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/217 "2013-07-18T18:57:24Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > We’re not talking about historical figures here, we’re talking about some stupid kid. All historical monsters were once stupid kids. And anyone who does something noteworthy will be a historical figure sooner than later. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/218 "2013-07-18T19:00:55Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Yes, because _any_ time we think of the children it’s just righteous bull shit right? When it comes to purely symbolic limitations on serious public discourse, yes. > [@](#): > > If they get the impression that they’re just going to be referred to as psycho 123, … They will jockey for their favorite numbers … > [@](#): > > and his name will be forgoten a week from now. This silly charade won’t make that happen, not should it. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/219 "2013-07-18T19:07:26Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I agree everybody should be judicious in covering this kind of stuff, but what kind of limit are you proposing, then? How would that actually work? Meh, I don’t know where the line should be drawn, but a good place to start is by NOT putting their mug on the cover of a magazine with their best come hither look. > [@](#): > > A little, maybe. But I’ve always figured that by the time you get to this psychological stage, you’d be satisfied with the idea that you killed a bunch of people and affected a bunch of lives whether your name gets attached to it or not. I don’t know. I’m trying to think of a shooting spree incident pre Colubine. I can’t think of any. The best I could come up with was that tower shooting at the University of Texas. It’s probably confirmation bias, but it seems like ever since that incident, the shooting sprees have increased ten fold. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774/220 "2013-07-18T19:12:05Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Meh, I don’t know where the line should be drawn, but a good place to start is by NOT putting their mug on the cover of a magazine with their best come hither look. What about the cover of the New York Times? (In general I think very little of ‘I know it when I see it,’ which is pretty much what this is.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-this-rolling-stone-magazine-cover-offend-you/663774.md?page=12)