I can tell my answer's going to be very unpopular here, but since this is an "Open Thread", I guess I'll go ahead and give you my honest opinion:

I think journalists have an obligation to cover all sides of a story--especially such a large-scale global story that will have a place in the history of human events. Documenting the good, the bad, the tragic, the hopeful, the destruction, and the rebuilding, it's all part of the job of the journalists of the world.

Imagine if we had no photographic evidence of the horrors of the Holocaust.
Imagine if we had no photos of the My Lai Massacre.
Imagine if we had no photos of the Tiananmen Square protester.
Imagine if we suppressed photos of the Word Trade Center attacks and aftermath out of "respect" for the family of the victims.

How would we remember? I mean really remember? These were sad, horrible things that happened, and each one carried a different lesson. We need factual, honest, blunt reports and photos to capture these things so we can learn the lessons.

I feel for Bernard's family. I really do. If I was his mother, of course I would NOT want the photos published.

BUT...their grief cannot supersede the ultimate need for documentation of real history. No censorship. War is messy, messy business. Real people get killed--sons, daughters, moms, dads, brothers, sisters. And Bernard will always live as a hero of his nation who served valiantly and died tragically. And next time, maybe before we go to war, we'll think of the other soldiers like Bernard and think twice about whether or not a war is worth the price.

How ironic and how telling that two days ago we read a story about the AP being unhappy about a photo exhibition in the Netherlands because their pictures were being used alongside text that took a political position. Unlike the grieving parents who asked for a dignified death for their son, the AP got their way and the offending text was removed from the proximity of their pictures.

AP was wrong and should be sued. They obviously have no qualms about making their living at the expense of an American hero and his grieving parents.

Thankfully, many newspapers declined to print the disgraceful violation of the heroic young man and his parents. If yours did print it, let them know your displeasure.

That's a resounding NO. I think the fact that the Secretary of Defense personally appealed for the pictures not to be realeased speaks volumes about this issue. Secretary Gates has rarely intervened in such matters. The outpouring of resistance is also indicative of what is expected in civil society.

But the fact that makes this easy to answer is that Josh Bernard's father asked for it not to be released. Some respect is due to the family of this hero.