Pledge of Allegiance
The following was taken from the late Red Skelton's T.V. show where he
told of an experience he had while in school concerning the Pledge of
Allegiance. His teacher, Mr. Laswell, had become concerned that his students
were reciting the pledge without really understanding its true meaning.
I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of
Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is becoming monotonous
to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning
of each word?
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's 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: individual communities that have united into 48 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's 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.
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?