Initiative to classify Westboro Baptist Church as a hate group is the most popular White House petition ever

On December 14, 2012, a White House petition was created in an effort to have the Westboro Baptist Church categorized as a hate group. Just 13 days and more than 260,000 signatures later, the petition is the most popular in the history of the White House initiative. Once a petition garners 25,000 signatures, it earns a response from the White House. There are two additional petitions asking that the WBC's tax-exempt status be revoked. Both of those petitions have also eclipsed the 25,000-signee mark. Back in August, President Obama signed the Honoring America's Veterans Act, which barred anyone—including the Westboro Baptist Church—from picketing within 300 feet of the funerals of fallen American soldiers. It also prohibited the demonstrations from two hours prior to the funerals to two hours after the funerals. [HuffPo]