4th of July

Pledge of Allegiance by Red Skelton

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 good to give without self-pity.

Allegiance - My love and my devotion.

To the Flag - Our standard; Old Glory; a symbol of Courage; and 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 forty-eight great states. Forty-eight individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose. All divided by imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common cause, and that is love of country, of America..

And to the Republic - A Republic - a sovereign state in which power is invested in the representatives chosen by the people to govern. And the 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 for one to live his own life, without fears, threats, or any sort of retaliation.

And Justice - The principle, and qualities, of dealing fairly with others.

For All - For All - that means, boys and girls, 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, under God, 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.

God Bless America!