Red
Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance
Red was one of the
best known and most admired comedians of the early TV age.
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 Frreedom; 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 togetherr.
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 too live one's own life, without
threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.
And Justice -
- The principle, or qualities, of dealing ffairly with others.
For All
- which means, boys and girls, it's as muchh 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
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