[Jeff Head]

atheists can choose not to say the Pledge, but this is no different from being forced not to say the Pledge

Sorry, this is about as convoluted logic as I have ever seen. Do you actually believe this? That if someone has a choice to say it or not, that this is the same as them being forced to say it.

Such a position is so far out in left field that it defies reason in my opinion. It is not a "hard" pill to swallow ... in fact it cannot be swallowed because such statement and position has no throat. Force of course would mean that they have no choice.

Well, I've said my piece on this and am perfectly content to let others read it and our exchange and come to their own conclusions. Adieu.

[Hard_Pill_To_Swallow]

You left out the rest of the quote. Perhaps if you consider both sentences together, it will make more sense.

" ... atheists can choose not to say the Pledge, but this is no different from being forced not to say the Pledge. If they choose to say it, they will be lying, so this is not a choice at all. "

Atheists have the "choice" to either not say the Pledge or to state an oath which those two words render invalid. You may disagree, but I see this as a problem. When people are sworn in as naturalized U.S. citizens, they say the Pledge of Allegiance. It is the official oath of U.S. citizenship. Since 1954, every single atheist who becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen commits perjury in their first act as a U.S. citizen.

This has been a pleasant exchange. Thank you.