This day, September 11, marks the ninth anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks. Previously a solemn day when Americans take time to remember loved ones, 9/11 is singing a new tune, a tune called politics.
According to an article in Politico Friday, politicians in the past would only attend events to commemorate the day and take down their television ads. That has now changed.
Along with formal ceremonies, activists for and against the proposed Islamic center are planning their own events to capture the emotion of the day with unmistakable political overtones.
In New York City, opponents and supporters have planned rallies for the controversial Islamic center, proposed for lower Manhattan two blocks after Ground Zero. Not only are these rallies aimed at the midterm elections in November but with the state’s primary elections on Tuesday.
An Associated Press article reported, Terry Jones, the pastor of a small independent church in Gainesville, Florida, received international attention by threatening to burn copies of the Quran. Jones cancelled those plans Thursday due to from pressure from the White House, but now he says is reconsidering.
President Obama is scheduled to attend a commemoration at the Pentagon Saturday, while Vice President Joe Biden will attend a ceremony at a park near Ground Zero, where 2, 752 people were killed when hijackers flew planes into the twin towers of the World Trade Center. The ceremony there will pause four times, twice to mark when each plane hit the towers and twice for when the towers fell. Houses of worship in the city are asked to toll their bells at 8:46 a.m., when the first plane hit the north tower.
New York is not the only location that will host conservative protests. Tea Party groups are planning a march on the National Mall in Washington. In Alaska, Glenn Beck is teaming up with Sarah Palin in the Anchorage Arena to celebrate their shared conservative, faith-based values and to memorialize the attacks.
Even candidates and incumbents are politicizing the day. Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln’s reelection campaign will throw an Arkansas Razorbacks football tailgate party Saturday, while Washington GOP senate nominee Dino Rossi will speak at a Tacoma-area Republican Women’s Club fundraiser called “Let’s Roll on to Victory,” a reference to a phrase attributed to Todd Beamer, a passenger on United Airlines Flight 93 who fought back the hijackers during the 2001 attacks.
Though emotions are high and tempers may flare, most will agree, that September 11 is a day to remember those who have passed and the unity of the country, despite its political sound.
Carmen Singleton is an intern with C&E.
<!– /article-body –>
<!– x –>
Comments
<!– ERROR id = “comment” –>
<!– MESSAGE id = “approval” –>
Name: *
Email: *
Submit
Be the first to comment on this article!
<!– /comments –>
<!– /article-body –>
Related Articles
Campaigns and Elections Presents the Reed Awards – Live
by Noah Rothman / Feb 04 2011
by Jeremy Jacobs / Nov 02 2009
Tuesday Must-Reads: Bail-Out Politics
by Boyce Upholt / Mar 17 2009
Did the Dog Days Bite Democrats?
by Jeremy Jacobs / Aug 31 2009
by Sean J. Miller / Oct 04 2011
This Isn’t Your Father’s Election
by Tyler Harber / Oct 13 2011
<!– /related-articles –>
<!– /related –>
<!– /article –>
<!– /column-content –>
Newsletter Sign up
Please enter a valid email address
Sign up here to receive newsletters and special offers from Campaigns & Elections.
Register
<!– /newsletter-signup –>
Advertise with Campaigns&Elections
<!– Overlay_Popup –>
<!– /mpu –>
Most read
<!–<li id=”tab-most-commented”><a href=”#most-commented”>Most commented</a></li>–>
Most recent
Getting campaigns to pay up before it’s too late
The colors to avoid on yard signs
4 fundraising questions to ask before you run
Why the best data in the world won’t win you an election
Facebook kills a grassroots tool
<!– /most-read –>
could not find any article comments. exiting.
<!– /most-commented –>
Getting campaigns to pay up before it’s too late
4 fundraising questions to ask before you run
How to think like a journalist
Facebook kills a grassroots tool
Why the best data in the world won’t win you an election
<!– /most-recent –>
<!– /container –>
<!– /most-read-commented –>
Follow C&E
<!– /module-facebook-linkedin –>
<!– start tweetswind code –>
<!–In accordance with the Terms of Service, please display the link within the page.–>
<!– end tweetswind code –>
<!– /column-sidebar –>
<!– /content-shadow –>
<!– /content –>
<!– /page –>
<!– /wrapper –>
<!– /footer-inner –>
<!– /corporate-inner –>
<!– /corporate –>
<!– /footer –>
<!– Tag for Activity Group: Remarketing, Activity Name: Campaigns & Elections Home RM, Activity ID: 884062 –>
<!– Expected URL: http://www.campaignsandelections.com/
Activity ID: 884062
Activity Name: Campaigns & Elections Home RM
Activity Group Name: Remarketing
–>
<!–
Start of DoubleClick Floodlight Tag: Please do not remove
Activity name of this tag: Campaigns & Elections Home RM
URL of the webpage where the tag is expected to be placed: http://www.campaignsandelections.com/
This tag must be placed between the <body> and </body> tags, as close as possible to the opening tag.
Creation Date: 08/18/2011
–>
<!– End of DoubleClick Floodlight Tag: Please do not remove –>