Today is the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States. It is a day for remembrance of those who lost their lives and loved ones.  And it’s a day to remember those who have used 9/11 to advance their own political agendas:

“I know in your mind, you can think of the times America was attacked. One is Dec. 7, that’s Pearl Harbor Day. The other is Sept. 11, and that’s the day the terrorists attacked. I want you to remember Aug. 1, 2012, the attack on our religious freedom. That is a day that will live in infamy, along with those other dates.” — Rep. Mike Kelly R-Pa.

Compared voting in 2010 elections to 9/11 – Gary Bauer, Republican politician.

“How can we not make a correlation between this culture of death in which the most innocent, defenseless, and critically ill human lives are threatened with death and terrorist attacks, such as those of September 11, in which thousands of innocent people were slaughtered?” — Catholic Cardinal Francis Arinze.

In a closed door House GOP meeting Thursday, Indiana congressman and gubernatorial candidate Mike Pence likened the Supreme Court’s ruling upholding the Democratic health care law to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to several sources present.

“If the country is ever attacked as it was on 9/11, we all respond with a sense of urgency,” [CNBC's Rick] Santelli said in a roundtable discussion on NBC’s “Meet the Press” about the Wisconsin labor protests. “What’s going on on balance sheets throughout the country is the same type of attack.”

“The day that bill was passed will be remembered just as 9-11 was remembered in history. It was an attempt by these people in Washington to defy the Constitution.” – Carl Paladino, Republican politician from N.Y.

“If players want to strike, they ought to just pick Sept. 11, because that’s what it’s going to do to the game.” — Cincinnati Reds GM Jim Bowden.

“This is an issue just like 9-11. We didn’t decide we wanted to fight the war on terrorism because we wanted to. It was brought to us. And if not now, when? When the supreme courts in all the other states have succumbed to the Massachusetts version of the law?” — Republican politician and Presidential candidate Rick Santorum, referring to marriage equality.

“[W]hat happened in 2000 did as much damage to the pillars of democracy as terrorists did to the pillars of commerce in New York City.” – Alec Baldwin, actor and political gadfly.

“Barack Obama is a bigger disaster to this country than 9-11.” Radio host Neil Boortz.

At the end of his radio interview with Mike Huckabee on Monday, [Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.)] explained his position by invoking the first responders who ran into the Twin Towers.

“Here we have a decision, a landmark ruling which will go down in history and every single person listening to this radio program was alive and experienced this day like we did 9/11. The question is, what will our response be?” — Troy Newman, Operation Rescue.

Nearly 3,000 innocent people were killed in the attacks of Sept. 11. Nothing compares to that day.

–WKW