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 good to give without self-pity.
Allegiance My
love and my devotion.
To the Flag
Our standard; Old Glory ; a symbol
of Courage; and 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 by
imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common cause, and that is love of
country, of America..
And to the
Republic A Republic - a sovereign state in
which power is invested in the representatives chosen by the people to
govern. And the 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 for one to live his own life, without fears,threats , or any sort of retaliation.
And Justice The
principle, and qualities, of dealing fairly with others.
For All For
All - that means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine.
Now, 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, 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 that is a prayer,
and that be eliminated from our schools, too?