Dorothy Brush "Random Thoughts" Published July 4, 2003

The Pledge of Allegiance holds deep-rooted meaning

In a recent poll of 1,000 people, one-third did not know that the Fourth of July celebrates the date the Declaration of Independence was adopted. It has been 227 years since that beginning of our nation. Our Sen. Lamar Alexander introduced a bill in March with steps to give our history and civics more importance in the school curriculum. At that time he expressed his concern that youngsters lack an appreciation for and an understanding of what being an American means. This week his bill passed the U.S. Senate with a 90-0 vote. Three cheers for Sen. Alexander!

One American who brought laughter to millions over many years learned his history well. Red Skelton was born in Indiana in 1913 and was 84 when he died in 1997. During his long lifetime of entertaining he never forgot the early lessons from his school days in America's heartland. One of his most serious and endearing monologues was on the Pledge of Allegiance.

The Pledge was written by Francis Bellamy and published in a children's magazine in 1892 as part of a public school celebration. It continued to be recited at the beginning of each school day across the land. Skelton says, "I remember this one teacher. To me, he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time. He had such wisdom. We were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, and he walked over. Mr. Laswell 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. 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 my worldly goods to give without self pity

Allegiance - my love and 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 that have united into 48 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

Of America

And to the 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 - meaning so blessed by God

Indivisible - incapable of being divided

With liberty - which is freedom and the right or power to live one's own life without threats or fear of some sort of retaliation

And justice - the principle or quality of dealing fairly with others

For all - which means it's 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. (Pres. Eisenhower added those words on Flag Day, 1954) Wouldn't it be a pity if someone said that's a prayer and that it would be eliminated from schools, too?" So spoke Red Skelton.

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Dorothy Copus Brush is a Fairfield Glade resident and Crossville Chronicle staffwriter whose column is published each Wednesday.