Blunt and Bond: Religous Freedom Doesn't Apply For Mosque Near Ground Zero

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An abandoned Burlington Coat Factory near Ground Zero? That's just wrong.

​Campaigning yesterday in Kansas City, Republican senate candidate Roy Blunt told reporters that he opposes a plan to build a mosque two blocks away from "Ground Zero" in New York.

"We constantly talk about what's appropriate to put next to a 150-year-old Civil War battlefield," Blunt was quoted as saying in the Kansas City Star. "I think it's totally appropriate to talk about what should be near ground zero from 9-11...I do not think it should be built there."

Outgoing senator Kit Bond also condemned the mosque -- which is actually a community center, complete with a library, gym, auditorium, restaurant and a goal to facilitate a "multifaith dialogue" -- remarking that, "if we tried to put a United States church at Hiroshima after World War II, that would have frayed relations tragically."

Aside from the fact that "United States" isn't a religion, what's wrong with this picture?

Is it....

a) Missouri politicians weighing in on a development issue in New York City. (Blunt's opponent, Democrat Robin Carnahan, said the proposal is, "not a decision that I am going to make.")

b) Their remarks directly contradicting the first amendment, which states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."

c) Blanket prejudice against Islam -- essentially arguing that every Muslim supports terrorism -- by American leaders only adds fuel to the fire for extremists.

or

d) All of the above.

Jon Stewart has the answer:

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