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THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
as reviewed by Red Skelton
on "The Red Skelton Hour",January 14, 1969
Updated and modified by John T. Yantis
February 11, 1993
I
have been listening to you boys recite the pledge of allegiance for some
time now, and it seems as though it's becoming monotonous to you. If I
may, let me recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each
word.
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I |
Me. An individual. A committee of one. |
|
pledge |
Dedicate all of my worldly goods to give
without self-pity. |
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allegiance |
My love, and my devotion. |
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to the flag |
Our standard, Old Glory. A symbol
of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's respect, because your
loyalty has given her dignity that shouts, "Freedom is everybody's
job." |
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of the United |
That means that we have all come
together. |
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States |
Individual communities that have united
into 50 great states. Fifty individual communities with pride,
dignity, and purpose. All divided by imaginary boundaries, yet
united to a common purpose, and that's love for country. |
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of America |
That wilderness continent which
was tamed by our courageous forefathers, yet which remains to be
protected for our children's children's children. |
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and to the
Republic |
Republic A state in which sovereign
power is invested in representatives chosen by the people to govern.
That government is the people, and it's from the people to the
leaders, not from the leaders to the people. |
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for which it
stands |
Our flag is the symbol of
that Republic. |
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one nation |
An entity which is more than the
sum of its 50 member states. |
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under God, |
Supreme Being, the source of all
power, life, light, truth, justice, and love. |
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indivisble, |
Incapable of being divided. |
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with liberty |
Freedom. The right or power to
live one's own life without threat or fear of some sort of
retaliation |
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and justice |
The principle or quality of
dealing fairly with others. |
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for all. |
Everybody. Each and every citizen of
this country is entitled to liberty and justice. Which means that it
is just as much your country as it is mine. |
Now would you join
me in pledging allegiance to our flag? As you say the words, think of
the meaning and importance of every one of them. And remember the
hundreds of thousands of brave men and women who have died over the last
two hundred years, just so you could hold your heads up high and say
these words. |