Don’t Roll Like That – My Take on the Rolling Stone Backlash

Perhaps I’m a bit contrary this week, but it’s all in defense of our constitutional rights.

I disagree with the outlash against Rolling Stone’s controversial cover showing the architect of the Boston Marathon bombings. Reportedly, several major retail chains have removed the cover from their stores/news stands which all reeks of a libricide (book burning) of days past. This country was founded on inalienable rights, not the least of which is freedom on the press. The last thing we want to do is infringe on more rights in this seemingly rights-sucking culture of political correctness.

Rolling Stone has more cutting journalism than you will ever find in Time, Newsweek or any other major “news” magazines. Just look up any article by Matt Taibbi (http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs/taibblogi) and tell me you aren’t wiser for having read that.  Most of you won’t, and that’s the real problem with our society.  We are quick to jump on a bandwagon even if we don’t know where it’s going.  The information is out there on the “terrorist” attacks of 9/11, and plenty of more salient info on the “mortgage meltdown,” but we as a nation don’t demand action on those matters.  What we do do (yes, I just said doodoo) is we are quick to rail against perceived injustices or wrongs because we see a Facebook post or a newsclip.

Stop the censure. Increase the awareness. It is not the government’s or private enterprise’s job to raise your children. Discussion is important. Shrouding important issues because we think it glamorizes terrorism is a daft way to conduct our lives. This point is even more potent if you believe that most of the “terrorism” in this country is perpetrated on us by us.

Did RS do this to sell magazines? Maybe, but capitalism is another important tenet in our country’s formation. In addition to our liberties, that, too, seems to be eroding by the day. Rolling Stone has a history of publishing important and edgy political pieces, so this does not strike me as shock journalism.

I haven’t read the article, though none of us have. The issue isn’t set to hit the stands until Friday. A t the very least, read the article before you join in the myopic boycott backlash. Though, that, too, is a right you have… At least for now, anyway.