Pledge of Allegiance, word-by-word meaning explained by Red Skelton

January 14, 1969. Famous American comedian, Red Skelton, explains the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, word-by-word, from a memorized lecture given to him by his 7th grade school teacher, Mr. Lasswell. (Red includes the words "Under God" at the end of the video.)


"I pledge allegiance
to the flag,
of the United States of America,
and to the republic
for which it stands,
one nation,
under God,
indivisible,
with liberty and justice
for all."

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'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 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'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 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 quality 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, under God, 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? "