As a schoolboy, one
of Red Skelton's teachers explained the words and meaning of the Pledge of
Allegiance to his class. Skelton later wrote down, and eventually recorded,
his recollection of this lecture. It is followed by an observation of his own.
I - -
Me; an
individual; a committee of one.
Pledge - -
Dedicate
all of my worldly goods to give without self-pity.
Allegiance - -
My love
and my devotion.
To the Flag - -
Our
standard; Old Glory ; a symbol of Freedom; wherever she waves there is
respect, because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts, Freedom is
everybody's job.
of the
United - -
That means
that we have all come together.
States - -
Individual
communities that have united into forty-eight great states. Forty-eight
individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided with
imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for
country.
And to the Republic -
-
Republic--a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives
chosen by the people to govern. And government is the people; and it's from
the people to the leaders, not from the leaders to the people.
For which it stands
One Nation - -
One
Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.
Indivisible - -
Incapable of being divided.
With Liberty - -
Which
is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own life, without threats, fear,
or some sort of retaliation.
And Justice - -
The
principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.
For All - -
For
All--which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.
And now, boys and
girls, let me hear you recite the Pledge of Allegiance:
I
pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible
with Liberty and Justice for all. |
Since I was a small
boy, two states have been added to our country, and two words have been added
to the Pledge of Allegiance: Under God. Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said
that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?
Red Skelton
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