You know it's strange that this is due to the policy of seperation of religion and state.
When all of your ancestors came to this country, they were fleeing religious persicusion. I say your ancestors cause mine were always here (Native American and Hispanic). But once your ancestors established the government we have today and began expanding this nation they sure as $h!7 kramed it down our throats and if we did not convert we were killed. Most European nations when they explored they always tried to ram their religious beliefs down the throats of the inhabitants. There has never been a seperation of religion and state. They profess this but there is always an underlying presence. When someone gets on the stand in a Court of Law what's the first thing they make you do? "Swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me 'god' " on a Bible. Why doesn't someone say, "I can not say that becuse it contradicts the seperation of religion and state rule"? Hmmmm? Our money... "In god we trust" Jeeeezzz, Where is the seperation? 2 words have created a stupid arguement. Don't we have more trying problems to worry about? Like people blowing up our buildings and killing our citizens. Poverty, starvation, unemployment, housing, health and welfare, our youth and the way they're killing themselves off, etc... I think our energies can be and should be directed towards more important issues, than 2 words. Patriotizm come for within, not from a phrase or a poem or a song. We have them, we use them, but if someone can not be patriotic on their own or feel it on their own, then they should pack their bags and leave this country. Patriotizm should ALWAYS be in you. PERIOD!