Hi,
Being a military wife I am going to say yes, that the decision should be up to the families. This is a personal matter and not everyone wants it publicised.

Mister Gates is wrong to lift the ban; The Edmonds woman was rightfully fired, she did not get any permission from families or the government; As a retired military the passing of a fallen comrade of any branch is not quick/fast news. And since the ban is now lifted the new organizations still have to track down the family to get approval. So they still would be disrespectful to ask at that time of losing a love one.

The ban on showing soldiers' coffins returning home was a national disgrace! It inferred shame or similar. Seemed the Bush administration was afraid of allowing the people to see the full ramifications of their disastrous decision to go to war. Now, at last, we can truly give honor to those returning after giving the ultimate sacrifice.

Everybody should be seeing exactly how many people are dying for the Judean/Bushrepublican war in the middle east.

News about our troops is important for the psyche of the nation. As long as it is done in a respectful, honorable fashion with no political (dialog) agenda and no personal names attached, it should be allowed.
The nation was keenly aware of our losses (pictures) in Vietnam. Respect for their service and compassion for the families was heartfelt by the majority of the public. These troop deserve no less respect than past veterans.

No, permission from the families should not be necessary. There is no way to tell which soldier is in any individual coffin. There is certainly no disrespect intended in the photographs. As a Vietnam vet, I think it is important for the nation to fully deal with the war and what it means. I think that the ban on photographing the coffins was to protect the previous administration, not because there was some disrespect shown by photographing the returning dead.

No, the families of the deceased should not have say in whether anonymous photos are taken of the return. HOWEVER, they should be able to say whether or not a photo is used when it identifies the soldiers or their families, or if photos can be taken at the private memorial events.

um, they're caskets, not coffins. Coffins aren't rectangle. they're not in a funeral home or in a service so they're fair game, even to people who want to take pictures of them for a reason you may not like which would make it immoral, not illegal anyway.

Its okay to send off our service personal with fan fare.. Why is it not okay to welcome them home dead or alive. It is our duty as a nation. Its not pretty, deal with it. Its not okay to have them come home in a box and not be there to welcome them home. Dead or alive. Put your differences aside and be there. they gave thier lives the least we can do is be there when they come home. Deal with it.

Liberals ultimate retort... Deal with it! How inclusive and sensitive to greiving families. Deal with it! "We'll use pictures of your son or daughter to promote our propoganda. Deal with it!" I wish I were a Lib so I could tell everyone "too bad, deal with it". Try saying that to them and see what kind of response you get.

Hey Ron, Con-manservatives unite! The Radical Republicans want nothing more than to keep their un-holy war going and continue to rake in the war profiteering. The only way to stop it is to show the American people the truth, the truth is we are OCCUPYING a foreign nation who does not want us there, and they are killing us and draining this country money dry.
The Radical Republicans cry and whine about patriotism just to cover up their lies and deceipt that they have heeped on the American people. The Racial Right Wing Repubs lied about weapons of mass destruction just to give Big Business the War it wanted...This country could not and cannot afford it, and the un-holy OCCUPATION of Iraq has crippled our Economy.
WE CAN ALL THANK OUR LOCAL TALIBAN FOR THIS, I.E. THE ULTRA RADICAL RIGHT WING REPUBLICANS AND THEIR WAR/PROFITEERING-MONGERING!!

Pictures of coffins got us out of Vietnam, and we must have pictures of coffins shown to demonstrate to America that good American men and woman are dying everyday for NOTHING! But this goes against the GOP game plan.
This war/occupation MUST end, America just cannot afford it. Besides, censorship equals totalitarianism, just what we got rid of when we voted Bush/Cheney out!

The death of a loved one is a private matter. I should not have to be consulted about a photograph for your viewing. If you really want to see them come home then be there when they leave. If you didn't care then why do you care now?