Freedom of Religion response

The most shocking piece of information that I received in that last 24 hours is that only 61% of the U.S. population can name the freedom of speech as a first amendment right, that's right you heard me... only 61 PERCENT. In hearing this information, my friend Jake, a very smart future politician, said this, "now you know why we elect all these Republicans." Him being an avid Obama follower, he makes the point that America is not a very well educated country, obviously, and that only 61% can name the freedom of speech as a first amendment right. I was also able to read an article about The Pledge of Allegiance in public schools, and if students should be forced to recite it without it infringing on their first amendment rights. Students should not be forced to recite the pledge if they do not want to, in fact, I myself don't recite the pledge because I feel it is an unnecessary action in which we say things that we are not completely sure of what they mean. The pledge is something that is affective if you say it once because you have pledged your allegiance to the United States and I don't believe you should have to pledge it again, day after day. The article I read and most of the controversies surrounding the pledge is that the part where is says "under God", that is the part that stirs up trouble because of the people who don't believe in God. The atheists argue that it should be removed or it should not be said because some people don't believe in God and that our country should not be molded under God. This is a very valid point because they should not have to recite something that they do not understand or do not believe in. As Americans it should be our duty to make everyone understand why we say the pledge and what it means and then give the students a choice whether or not they want to say it or not.