The Pledge of Allegiance
-Red Skelton
I remember this one teacher. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of 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 – 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 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 with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that’s love for county.
Of America. And to the Republic – a state in which sovereign power is invested in representatives 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 its 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.

Pastor Lynette