Red Skelton and the Meaning of 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 to me as though it is becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recited 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 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 50 great states, communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is love for country 

OF AMERICA, 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 UNDER GOD--- Meaning so blessed by God 

INDIVISIBLE--- Incapable of being divided 

WITH LIBERTY--- Which is freedom and the right to live one's own life without threats or fear of some sort of retaliation. 

AND JUSTICE--- The principal or quality of dealing fairly with others. 

FOR ALL--- Which means "It's as much your country as it is mine" 

Red Skelton

From the Red Skelton Hour, CBS Television January 14, 1969