[GreenKeys] Allegiance

[Don Robert House]

Please forgive me for the off subject material...

ALLEGIANCE
by Don Robert House

One evening in Indianapolis I had the pleasure and honor of listening 
to, and meeting one of my favorite fellow Americans.  This man had me 
laughing, crying, and I found myself more deeply impressed with the 
insight, intelligence and talent of Mr. Red Skelton, PhD.  All of us 
can remember the different forms of humor Red Skelton has made 
famous, but how many are aware of the artist, the composer, and the 
very caring person he is.   One lasting impression he made on me is 
his interpretation of the Pledge of Allegiance.  In the following 
lines I will do my best to transcribe Mr. Skelton's words...

"I remember a teacher that I had...I had this one teacher that was 
the principal of the Harrison School in Vincennes, Indiana.  To me 
this was the greatest teacher, real sage, of my time any how.  He had 
such wisdom... and we were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance one 
day, and he walked over, this little ol' teacher, Mr. Laswell was his 
name...he says I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the 
Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it's 
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's 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's 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 leader, 
not from the leader 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 is 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!"

I am sure Mr. Skelton would join us in our prayers for our country 
and our servicemen. God bless America