Jeff Kagan On Red Skelton’s Inspiring “Pledge Of Allegiance”

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Atlanta, GA, June 27, 2011 — Remember when we learned The Pledge of Allegiance when we were young and in school. I found something on the web years ago on the web and I saved the page. I happened to see the link today and listened to it again. It is truly inspiring and I want to share it with you.

Red Skelton was an entertainer and comic when I was young and growing up. He had a television show, probably in black and white, and was a movie star. He was one of the big names in entertainment.

He would travel and give live performances in front of large audiences. He would often insert inspiring moments and teachings that really made you think and made you feel important and special and proud.

When he was a young man he learned the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance from one of his teachers. This lesson became so meaningful to him that he remembered what his teacher Mr. Laswell said.

This is what Red Skelton shared with the audience in countless events around the country.

His explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance.

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 Courage; 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: Republic; a sovereign state in which 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: 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 one’s own life, without threats, fear or some sort of retaliation.

AND JUSTICE: The principle and quality of dealing fairly with others.

FOR ALL: For All, that means boys and girls, it is as much your country as it is mine.

Since this was recorded when Red Skelton was a small boy, two states and two words have been added… Under God.

As he said, wouldn’t it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from our schools too?

This inspiring video is available on the web. I found it on YouTube and others.

We should remember and cherish what made us a great nation.

Happy Independence Day.