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I'm going to argue with you on this one, but my argument has nothing to do with true patriotism. My argument is based on formula vs. true intention.

For those that make a scene about the pledge, there are even more people that stand and say the pledge without any interest. It's just a ritual without any meaning for most people. Is it any more "right" or patriotic for someone to stand and recite the pledge without giving a shit just because they don't want to cause a scene by not participating? It's the same way with a forced-group prayer before a formal meal. Many of alternate faiths simply spout off whatever prayer and make the sign of the cross so as not to cause conflict.

I went to Catholic school for 13 years. Anyone could/can rattle off scripted prayers while half-conscious or even while picturing the girl next to them naked on a sacrifical altar for Satan. That's an extreme example, but my point is that most of the time the prayer was just repetition of a string of fluff sentences without any personal backing... For me and many others, church was just an extended period of sitting, standing, kneeling, and shitty music with the alterior motive of being blessed with luck in the current life and a pleasant afterlife. So is actually going to church with an alterior motive any more respectful than simply not going? Same way with the confessional repentance. I can't see the correlation between blabbering off a bunch of Hail Mary's and whatever bad deed you commited. It's like they're saying, "Don't do that sin again because if you do, you'll have to waste more time rattling off prayers instead of doing something else with your time." Like prayer is the actual punishment rather than a form of worship.   

In my opinion, pre-formulated assertions of your "personal" beliefs are worthless anyway. I don't mean that to be in any way un-patriotic, but it's just counter-intuitive to recite what you "believe" in someone else's words. I could put just as much (if not more) feeling into a salute of the flag out of respect for my American rights and priveleges without rambling off someone else's words.

Bottom line: I'm not saying you can't believe it, but if you do believe it, you shouldn't have to prove it by reciting someone else's account of "your" beliefs.