Residents of McDonald County, MO and members of the Patriot Guard Riders pay their respects to PFC Christopher Lee Marion Saturday, March 4. The 20 year-old member of the US Army's 101 airborne division was killed by an improvised explosive device in Hawijah, Iraq on Feb. 22.

I went to Anderson along with a large number of media to cover the protest of this funeral by the reverend (using the loosest form of the word) Fred Phelps who contends that our troops are being struck down by God because the USA is to tolerant of homosexuals. Phelps never showed up. I was conflicted about this. On one hand I was disappointed that I did not get the opportunity to take what would have undoubtedly been powerful images. On a personal level I was grateful that the ceremony wasn't disturbed by such a hateful event. In addition I felt awkward covering an event such as a funeral for nothing other than to expand my portfolio but I'm a photojournalist. I document the word I see through my photography. How can I turn away from things like this? Where doers the line between documentation and exploitation lie? What do YOU think?