While we traditionally celebrate July 4th as the birthday of the United States itself, it was many years after 1776 that the idea of a special day to celebrate the Flag came about. A very nice history of Flag Day can be found here.
The anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 was established by President Wilson in 1916, but it was not until 1949 that President Truman designated June 14th of each year as National Flag Day.
It seems appropriate to mention the Pledge of Allegiance and, personally I cannot think of the Pledge without thinking of Red Skelton. He was one of the greatest comedians I can remember. He was funny without being smutty. He also made some profound statements. One of those is his "Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance." I first posted his commentary to the Good Clean Fun web site on July 17, 1998.
You can read it below or you can hear the words as Red Skelton spoke them on his television show. "RealAudio" is required. (Thank you, Carl, for letting me know of this site).
The words are just as meaningful now as they were so many years ago.
Commentary on the Pledge of Allegiance
by Red Skelton
As a schoolboy, one of Red Skelton's teachers explained the words
and meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance to his class. Skelton later
wrote down, and eventually recorded, his recollection of this lecture.
It is followed by an observation of his own.
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 was a prayer, and should
be eliminated from schools, too?
Red Skelton
I urge all of you in the United States to display your flag on June 14th.
-Tom
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