Thought 2
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
Thought 2