I don't perceive atheism as trying to "force" our way of thinking on anyone. What we do is ask everyone to think for themselves, to think skeptically, to be honest with themselves. We refuse to grant religion the validity it assumes for itself and ask for evidence. We abstain from believing until sufficiently convincing evidence is presented.
Yes we disagree with theists. But we aren't out on street corners shouting about atheism to passing pedestrians. We don't go door to door pushing atheistic literature into the hands of those who answer the door. We don't gather together to condemn believers to eternal damnation.
We do ask theists to keep their beliefs to themselves. We ask them questions about the reason for their faith in order to make them think about them. We oppose establishing any religious teaching in public schools and the attempts to establish a state religion.
We disbelieve, and that's wrongly perceived as an attack or persecution.
This sums up my position:
