Our constitutionaly gauranteed rights exist for just this reason. The whole purpose of the Bill of Rights is to pretect the minority from the whims of the majority. Just because a group is greater in numbers does not mean it is right, or has the right to push a belief on others. Those who would tell atheists to sit down and shut up are no more right than the majority of Romans or the money changers in the jewish temples who thought Jesus should sit down and shut up. This nation does not exist under one true God. Millions of Americans are pagans, hindus, buddhists, shintos, atheists, or any of hundreds of other belief systems. No one of those systems is any more right than any other - all religions are equally valid and to argue anything to the contrary de,onstrates the kind of incredible arrogance that has started far too many wars and left to the xrucifiction, stonging, drowning, and burning at the stake of far too many innocent victimes. I suggest people consider the consequences and history of such absolute beliefs before forcing them on others.

The pledge existed for some sixty years without the words "under God" in it, and no one complained then. Those words were only added by Congress during the height of McCarthyism, when it would no more have been possible for a politician to oppose it than it was possible for one to oppose military action in Afghanistan two years ago.

Never ever forget why this country is here. We were founded by Shakers, Quakers, Unitarians and all manner of other believers fleeing persecution in England and the rest of Europe. To now turn around and assert that this is one Christian nation, under God whether you like it or not blatantly defiles the legacy of our founding fathers. You are free to have your God, should you so choose, but respect others' right not to have him too.