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Red Skelton Gives a Moving Explanation of the Pledge of Allegiance

By Linda Anselmi on September 11, 2009 at 5:01 PM in Current Affairs

I was emailed this today and could not help wondering — if this was played at the start of every school day, every government meeting, and every sporting event, would we have a more active and responsible citizenry?


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h/t BGD’O

What do you think?

  • OxyCon

    Red Skelton used to crack me up when I was a kid. He’s the only comic I ever saw that could make you laugh without denigrating someone else or using foul language.

  • Susan B. Athena

    That was wonderful. Thanks for sharing this today.

  • Katmoon

    Thank you Linda, so wonderful. He ahd such a way.

    united to a common purpose…and government is the people….incapable of being divided…..

  • buckybadgerboy

    Sorry – OT, but Fox News (5:15 Central)just announced that the Census Bureau just cut ties to ACORN…

    • College Educated for Hillary

      Politico also has a story on this.

    • tek

      Another OT: Iran is now willing to discuss nuclear weapons with us. Bill Clinton achieved this, no Obambi. What a joke. The One has to pull out Bill Clinton every time he needs to get anything accomplished. Then he’ll take the credit of course.

  • HARP

    OT but the census bureau is breaking all ties with Acorn. Way to go Mr Beck.

    • tek

      I’ve gotten so jaded about Obama, I no longer believe these stories. Just like I don’t believe when he says illegals will not be covered. He doesn’t address all the facts so he can pull some sleight of hand to get what he wants. I believe he is just a liar. Wasn’t he going to re-negotiate NAFTA? (Oh, just kidding, Canada. Just had to say that to make Hillary look bad).

      If Congress does reprimand Joe Wilson, it will be BS. Lots worse things than that have happened to recent presidents, but no official action was taken.

      • Katmoon

        The most they can do is strike the comment for “un” parliamentarian speech, and not allow him to speak on the subject further, on the same day as the offense. Oh my their poor sensibilities!

  • http://sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ American Girl in Italy

    Do they still do the pledge in schools? they don’t do they? that’s a pity.

    this was a sweet video, and an appropriate day.

    thanks linda!

    • Linda Anselmi

      I think they stopped saying the pledge in class quite a while ago.

    • tek

      Did you know that a prominent Socialist wrote the pledge in the 1950s? Check out the history.

  • http://firefox Martha Washington Collier

    Red was so unique and never embarrassed to tear up on stage…he was a very sentimental, emotional guy.

  • Sassy

    One knows their age is showing when they speak of the “good old days”.
    We loved Red Skelton, and wish we had those types of entertainers now.
    He was one of a kind!

  • http://rabblerouserruminations.blogspot.com Rabble Rouser Reverend Amy

    I loved Red Skelton, too…

    Linda, thank you for this. His defining what the pledge means, what it means to be an American, was very moving.

    And when he spoke of us having the right to live our lives without fear of retaliation? Well, maybe some day, some of us can…

    Powerful piece – thank you. And most appropos for today.

  • Kim

    I loved Red Skelton. I loved it when he did the Gertrude and Heathcliff skits. Thanks for posting this video Linda.

    When I was a kid, from grade 1-6, the first thing we did in the morning was to say the Pledge of Allegiance. We stopped saying it when I got to Jr. High. I don’t know if kids still say it anymore, but they should. I don’t think kids today realize how important our flag is and what it truly stands for.

    • Ferd Berfle

      I loved Red Skelton. I loved it when he did the Gertrude and Heathcliff skits

      And who could forget Klem Kadiddlehopper and San Fernando Red?

    • Faye

      I remember one skit of Gertrude and Heathcliff. They were flying over Washington DC and Heathcliff wanted to fly over the capitol and make a deposit.
      Red Skelton was one of the best. I raised my children to listen to both Skelton and Bill Cosby.
      Over at Patriot Room a new post just went up that has the letter from Robert Groves the Director of the Census to the president of ACORN. One little sentence has a phrase “to count everyone,once,only once and in the right place”. Man this is a brave man.Looks like those two fine young people who have exposed ACORN as the “Hos for bros” community organization has inspired bravery into others.

      • jwrjr

        He was in a movie called “Those Magnificent Men and Their Flying Machines”. Priceless.

  • Diana

    Beautiful, thank you for sharing it.

  • avwrobel

    Red was one of the best. Did you notice how he didn’t say “…under God…” after ” ..one nation..”. That’s because he learned the pledge before the 1950′s Communist scares that prompted political demagogues to require mentioning God in the pledge and therefore breaching the separation of church and state. But in the end its alright…a nice ritual that works. I was born in Buffalo, NY but went through high school in Canada. We used to say the Lord’s Prayer before class every day. I didn’t even think about it at the time…just did it, and it felt ok.

    • Ferd Berfle

      The original pledge was written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy and had the following words:

      I Pledge Allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation indivisible with liberty and justice for all

      The bill adopting the phrase, “under God” was signed by Eisenhower on June 14, 1954.

      • Ferd Berfle

        I should have added that two other changes were made between the time of the original and the current version (codified 1954) changing the word “my” to “the” and adding of the United States of America, etc.

  • getfitnow

    Love it! Needed it! Thank you.

  • tek

    Sorry, not reading anything from Somebody No Libs. Could it be biased?

  • I’m a Linda too

    OMG, that was very moving. Thank you.

  • Craig Weis

    Red was a class act. Too bad Obama never will be.
    Buck Ofoma.

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