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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 - - 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 - - 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. 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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