Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance 

                            By Red Skelton

    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.

    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 with imaginary
                   boundaries, yet united to a common purpose, and that is
                   love for country.

   And to the Republic

                   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

                   One Nation--meaning, so blessed by God.

    Indivisible

                   Incapable of being divided.

    With Liberty

                   Which is Freedom; the right of power to live one's own
                   life, without threats, fear, or some sort of retaliation.

   And Justice

                  The principle, or qualities, of dealing fairly with others.

   For All

                  For All--which means, boys and girls, it's as much your
                  country as it is mine.
 

And now, boys and girls, 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, 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."; Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?

Red Skelton