9/11: Emotional, Political Flashpoint Nine Years After Attacks

Sept. 11, 2010 -- Dueling protests are taking place in lower Manhattan near the site of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center this afternoon after today's solemn ceremony honoring the victims of the attacks, which took place nine years ago today.

Protesters who oppose the building of an Islamic center near the former World Trade Center site have gathered a few blocks from Ground Zero, can be heard chanting "USA! USA!," and are holding signs reading "Never forgive, never forget, no WTC mosque," according to the Associated Press.

Just a few blocks away a group of about 1000 people gathered by City Hall and marched towards Ground Zero in support of the building of the Islamic center. Leah Christiani was in that crowd.

"It's so unfortunate that we had to be here to counter-protest what's going on -- but at the same time I think if we weren't here pushing back, it would be even worse, because it would be allowing this wave of hatred to just take over the country," Christiani said.

"In this country, we have freedom of religion, so if a group purchases an area…they should be able to build whatever they want there!"

Earlier today in a speech at the Pentagon, President Obama followed a week of highly charged political discourse with a reminder that America is not at war with Islam and a call for national unity.

"As Americans, we will not and never will be at war with Islam," Obama said at the memorial service. "It was not a religion that attacked us that September day. It was al-Qaeda, a sorry band of men which perverts religion."

"Those who attacked us sought to demoralize us, to divide us, to deprive us of the very unity, the very ideals that make America America," he added. "Today we declare once more we will never hand them that victory..For our cause is just, our spirit is strong, our resolve is unwavering."

Earlier this morning on his weekly radio and Internet address, Obama urged Americans to look towards common interests and unity.

"We are one nation — one people — bound not only by grief, but by a set of common ideals," Obama said.

"This is a time of difficulty for our country. And it is often in such moments that some try to stoke bitterness — to divide us based on our differences, to blind us to what we have in common. But on this day, we are reminded that at our best, we do not give in to this temptation," Obama said.

"We will never forget the images of planes vanishing into buildings; of photos hung by the families of the missing. And while nine years have come and gone since that September morning, the passage of time will never diminish the pain and loss forever seared in the consciousness of our nation," Obama said.

Meanwhile, Vice President Joe Biden joined New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and hundreds of mourners who lost friends and family in the attacks at Ground Zero in lower Manhattan.

First lady Michelle Obama was joined by former first lady Laura Bush in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where Flight 93 crashed.

Former President George W. Bush reflected on those Americans who were called to action on that morning, and have worked tirelessly since.

"We recall the many acts of heroism on that day, and we honor those who work tirelessly to prevent another attack," said Bush in a statement released this morning. "May God bless our great country and those who defend her."

The ninth anniversary of the attacks has been embroiled in controversy over the planned Muslim center near Ground Zero and more recently with Florida Pastor Terry Jones, who threatened to burn Korans on today's anniversary of 9/11.

Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck will rendezvous in Alaska Saturday for what Palin calls a gathering of "patriots who will 'never forget'" the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

Critics, however, say that nine years after the terror attacks, the political language around the anniversary has changed and become divisive. The Palin comment carries the suggestion that some Americans are patriots who remember while others are detractors who forget.

Organizers of the event have pledged it will be non-political and similar to the Washington, D.C., rally the duo held two weeks ago. But with tickets running up to $200 a head and the featured speakers two politically-charged figures skeptics see manipulation of a solemn anniversary -- and the latest sign the tragedy of nine years ago has become national political fodder.

"Right now, this is the most heartbreaking anniversary," said Donna O'Connor, whose daughter was killed in the World Trade Center. "The politicization is worse than I ever could have imagined."

For years, the 9/11 attacks had been unofficially off-limits – even deemed politically risky -- for use by elected officials and candidates for office in their appeals to voters.

On the first anniversary of the attacks in 2002, then New York Gov. George Pataki read the Gettysburg Address, rather than an original speech, for fear of politicizing the memorial.

"I thought it was important not to have politicians speaking and to let it be a moment where instead of a politician giving a message, we reflected on the message sent by the thousands who died on Sept. 11 and the thousands of others who a year later were still working so hard to bring New York and America back," Pataki told ABCNews.com.

When George W. Bush in 2004, and Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton in 2007 raised Sept. 11 imagery in their ads they were widely scolded.

But now the emotional flashpoint of 9/11 is being much more freely used, with the controversial Islamic center planned for near Ground Zero driving national debate, imagery of the attacks cropping up in midterm election campaign ads, and the anniversary shaping up to be a day of political rallies instead of bipartisan displays.