|
Red Skelton's Meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance
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.
- United - - That means that we have all come together.
- States of America - - 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 - - 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 - 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 - 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, 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
|
