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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
didicate 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 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 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   
January 14, 1969

"Good night, and GOD bless."    Red Skelton