The Huffington Post reported last week that the North Carolina Legislature passed the "Respect Our Fallen Heroes" bill, expanding an earlier bill curtailing when and where picketers can demonstrate at funerals. Last year, President Barack Obama signed a similar bill, the Honoring America's Veterans Act, into law. Both these bills are aimed at preventing groups such as Westboro Baptist Church from protesting at funerals. This group is known for spewing hate for what it calls the country’s tolerance of gays. It claims the death of military members is God’s vengeance for the country’s support of the gay lifestyle. The North Carolina bill would require such groups to vacate the funeral area two hours before and after a funeral and remain at least 500 feet away during a funeral.

While most people despise the actions of Westboro Baptist Church, the Supreme Court ruled in 2011 its actions were protected by the First Amendment.

What do you think? Are the actions of Westboro Baptist Church so distasteful that the Supreme Court ruling doesn’t matter? Or is any curtailment of the First Amendment the first step onto what could become a very slippery slope?