The Pledge Of Allegiance
narrated by Red Skelton
When I was a small boy in Vinsance, Indiana, I heard, I think, one of the most outstanding speeches I have ever heard in my life. I think it compares to a sermon on the mound, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Socrates' speech to the students. We had just finished reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and he called us all together. And he says:
"Boys and girls, I have been listening to you recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems that it has become monotonous to you. Or could it be, you do not understand the meaning of each word. If I may, I would like to recite the Pledge and give you a definition for each word:
I
me, an individual, a committee of one.
PLEDGE
dedicated 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 courage. Wherever she waves here is respect because your loyalty has given her a dignity that shouts "freedom is everyone'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 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 and the right of power to live one's own life without threats or fear of 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.
Now 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's a prayer" and that would be eliminated from schools too.
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