Red Skelton
lollman karen j (lollma@ACC.WUACC.EDU)
Fri, 30 Sep 1994 15:07:57 -0500
From the Red Skelton Hour, January 14, 1969
The Pledge of Allegiance
I remember this one teacher. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real
sage of my time. He had such wisdom. We were all reciting the Pledge of
Allegiance, and he walked over. Mr. Lasswell was his name. He said:
"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 is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity
that shouts freedom is everybody's job.
*Of the United*--that means that we have all come together.
*States*--individual communities that have united into 48 great states.
48 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.
*Of America*
*And to the Republic*--a state in which soverign 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 and the right of power to live one's
own life without threats or fear or some sort of retaliation.
*And Justice* -- the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others.
*For All*--which means 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's a prayer" and that would
be eliminated from schools, too?
Red Skelton
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City |
