The Pledge by Red Skelton

Thanks for sharing this wonderful video. Amen sister! It saddens me that this is no longer being pledged in so many school of today. Not only that but the real meaning of this to be explained. Even our history being taught in schools have been twisted and this was back when I graduated from high school in 1998. When I became a Christian and met liked minded people I started learning what our country was founded on and the REAL history of America and I was blown away. My husband and I just finished the Truth Project with Focus on the Family - a 13 week series and what I learned astounded me. I hope to share in some future posts. Thank you and Good Day!

I wish it was required for the Pledge to be said at the beginning of every day in every classroom, public building and office. It may seem radical to some. But it would certain help instill some pride in our Country, and force everyone to reflect even for a moment.

awesome

I believe in the Pledge and feel it is something that binds us together. I know now understand that many on the radical right no longer believe in America as it is today for whatever reason some are neo-Nazis, closet racists etc feeling that America is no longer the land of opprotunity. Unfortunately social misfits both left and right hold the idea that The Pledge is invalid because of government policies.

By social misfits I mean social misfits how many of these radical people (left and right) belong to a mainstream organization such as a church, finished school with out dropping out, completed a term of military service without being kicked out, have strong family relationships or can hold down a job any lenght of time without being fired for something stupid? What I just listed are signs of deviant behavior in a society- social mis-fitism.

Red explains this very well!!

The only reason we don't is because a very small amount of people complained and the rest of had something to say about it but rather than standing up against it be did nothing,
You can't even say God in school even though still on our money.

Not so sure what I feel about the words because liberty and justice seems to be thwarted these days. I see criminals with more rights and freedoms than I have and seems so unfair. They have food, clothes, shelter, free education & medical care.

Many kids in school are raised by parents that let them do whatever and play friend instead of parent. See how throw temper tantrums in stores.Even if they got a two minute speech for foundation of country see their commitment lacking. Most teenagers I see around are punks getting into trouble. Sure I hope there are some good, decent hard working ones left, but if we're adults and don't take interest in country and taking pride in it, how going to teach that to our children?

Take the US flag, most people don't know the correct way to display or dispose of it.

We still recite the Pledge every morning at our school. Well said Red. I used to love to watch his show every week. That was back when you could say God and not some of the 4 letter words that have become allowable today.

I remember it well. Said it every morning and we stood with our hand on our heart looking at the flag.
You know what gets me now..... when you are at a parade and no one stands up to watch the flag go by. I think there is a total disregard.

Brian, you're right that there are many who don't like our what our country has become. I'm one of those. It is not what our founding fathers designed, and keeps getting less and less like what they envisioned.

I went to a Christian school, so we said the Pledge of the Allegiance every morning. We saluted the American flag, and the Christian flag.

Now my parents went to public schools growing up, but they too said the American pledge every morning.

I remember all through elementary school the first thing we did was say the Pledge. This was something that wasn't done when my daughter went to school, but I never realized it until now when I read this post. It is a shame that our schools are becoming so indoctrinated with all the wrong information and denying our children the right to make the choice that best fits them, not what the school thinks is best for our children.

Yes I remember saying the Pledge of All;egionce every morning. Bt I remember when it was said with out the under God in it.

I think it's good that many kids aren't being forced to recite the Pledge or a prayer every morning in school as many were in the past.

Wil pipes in here a lot, even though he doesn't even live in the U.S.

I always loved Red Skelton. He was one of a kind ...
Never should have stopped saying the pledge in classrooms.

red Sketon was a great man,,,,

I have seen this printed out, but I have never seen the video. Thank you so much for sharing it!

Red was right to bad they add to it. i like the old pledge. i noted Red didn't say the new one. if we just stick to the constitution we could avoid the fights. in my school we said it without The God. because of bible bumpers, but the J-witnesses didn't like that either. now their were some Mormons to, and i don't think they had a problem with it or maybe they did. any way it seems clear now that religion put an end to the pledge.

nice video Marilyn.

"Wil pipes in here a lot, even though he doesn't even live in the U.S."

What's that got to do with anything, Marilyn? I choose to keep tabs on what's going on in the U.S. in hopes that I can help keep you guys from screwing it up while I'm gone. I've got nieces and nephews, lots of friends' kids who go to public schools all over the country, and I'd very much prefer that they not be forced to say the Pledge or prayers every morning in school as many children were forced to do in the past.

If I choose to move back to the U.S. and put my children in public schools, I'd prefer that they not be forced to say the Pledge of Allegiance or any prayers every morning to start the school day, as many children were forced to do in the past.

You live in the U.S., and you don't really believe all that stuff Red Skelton said about the Pledge, do you Marilyn? Did you hear how we defined the word "pledge"? He said it meant "give all my worldly possessions without self-pity". When you say the Pledge of Allegiance, are you promising to give all your worldly possessions to the country? Haven't you been protesting and complaining about how much of your worldly possessions you're being asked to give your country?

On a side-note, did you know that Skelton did a similar routine about the Canadian National Anthem? Even though he didn't live in Canadia. Imagine that.

Wil, what it means is that when you act like you know something because you LIVE here, it's important to point out that you don't and whatever you're learning about CURRENT events, you're doing so by believing the liberal media or whoever is telling you, not from seeing it yourself. That's important to know.

I think a huge part of our problems started when people stopped caring about the country, Wil, and when they stopped caring about others. By trying to shove God into one hour at church, instead of allowing Him to be where He is - everywhere - people have become selfish and self-centered. Not only don't they care about the country, but they don't care about other people.

Not caring about the country, of course, has a lot to do with not knowing how or why she was created. Our public schools have no problem telling kids how horrible the settlers were with the Indians, but they don't do much else.

Our rich history is not being passed down. When I was a kid, not only did we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we also studied why it came about. We learned all 4 verses of the Star Spangled Banner, and we knew the story of how it was written. We learned all the verses of America and of America the Beautiful. We knew how to treat a flag. Those things were important to our families and to us.

Its still said in places, I know it is here. Most kids don't yet realize it actually means anything and few of their parents even can clue them in.

I don't think it should be said anymore though as its forced and few kids understand or care what it means. I'm also leery of pledging allegiance to much anymore....

"Wil, what it means is that when you act like you know something because you LIVE here, it's important to point out that you don't and whatever you're learning about CURRENT events, you're doing so by believing the liberal media or whoever is telling you, not from seeing it yourself. That's important to know."

Marilyn, you do live in the U.S. but you don't live everywhere in the U.S., and you comment and post about things all the time that you're not seeing for yourself. Is that important to know as well?

"I think a huge part of our problems started when people stopped caring about the country, Wil, and when they stopped caring about others."

I think there have always been people in the U.S. who didn't care about the country and didn't care about each other, Marilyn. And it certainly had nothing to do with trying to shove your god into one hour at church.

"Not caring about the country, of course, has a lot to do with not knowing how or why she was created. Our public schools have no problem telling kids how horrible the settlers were with the Indians, but they don't do much else."

Really? Is this based on your personal experience of what is happening in every single public school in the United States? Is this something that you're seeing for yourself? Or is it something you believe based on what you've been told by the media, or whoever is telling you? Or is it just something you made up?

Because one of my niece's loves history and tells me what she's learning in school, and it's not just how horrible the settlers were with the Indians and not much else. I also own several history textbooks (to help teach my children about their American heritage even though they don't live in the U.S.) and there's a lot of stuff in there that has nothing to do with how horrible the settlers were with the Indians. Of course I don't expect grade-school textbooks to give kids a very accurate picture of the history of the United States, and I know they didn't do so when I was a kid, or when you were a kid, either.

"When I was a kid, not only did we say the Pledge of Allegiance, we also studied why it came about."

Did you learn that the original Pledge of Allegiance was written by Francis Bellamy, a socialist? And did you learn that it was written in 1892, meaning that the U.S. had managed pretty well for over a century without a Pledge? And did you learn that it wasn't until 1940 before the SCOTUS ruled that students in public schools could be forced to recite the Pledge? And that the Pledge wasn't recognized by Congress as an official pledge until 1942? And that a year later, in 1943, the SCOTUS reversed its earlier decision and said that nobody, including public school students, could be forced to pledge their allegiance to the country, because doing so was a violation of their constitutional rights?

And I'll say again what I said in my first comment in this discussion -- I think it's good that many kids aren't being forced to recite the Pledge or a prayer every morning in school as many were in the past.

Marilyn, have you given all your worldly possessions to your country? Do you think Red Skelton did?

" Did you hear how we defined the word "pledge"? He said it meant "give all my worldly possessions without self-pity"."

Of course that was Skelton's definition in which I don't agree with. However one should consider that Skelton was raised in a generation that respected our National Sovereignty. It appears to me considering your posts on Gather over the past year and a half.. it is our National Sovereignty that you seem to have a problem with.

If my assessment is incorrect, I stand corrected. If my assessment is correct, can you explain why?

You stand corrected.

This post has been flagged by the community (Harassment, Other).

Now what is that about?????!?!?!?

Wil, I HAVE lived in 7 states and at one point I had relatives in 48 states. That probably does give me a feel for what's going on here.

There may have always been people who didn't care, but the number of persons who care only about themselves has certainly increased. It's obvious everywhere you go, Wil.

Do I know what's happening in every school? Of course not. But I know what the textbooks say. (There are only a few that are all over the country.) I know what is being said here in cyberspace - by the kids being taught incorrectly, by parents and by grandparents who care about that. And by the comments people make about what they THINK happened...which is nothing like what really happened.

Timothy, I think Wil just loves arguing for argument's sake.

sorry someone flagged it:(

I don't understand why someone flagged this.

why does any of the Trolls give bad ratings?? it s the same answer.
Either they have low self image/jealous or both. They do not believe in freedom of speech for anyone else but them.

there have been several renditions of this, Charlie Daniels did one, and I've heard it done by someone else.

I think it was flagged, not by me, because someone feels that you are forcing them to try to think the way they do.

The pledge doesn't sound right without Under God in it, but my SIL as of last year still said the pledge in her classroom, Under God was still in it for the time, but Children did not have to recite it. They either stood quietly or left the room.

Mooch

LOVE IT!!! Everyone should know what the words mean.. to many people take it for granted now days..We are so blessed to be Free.

Who in their right minds could possibly think The Pledge is a form of harassment against them? If anything, it's protects them from harassment. If they're a U. S. citizen, they should realize it's one of the things that allows them to run around while suffering from delusions and insanity.

Ignore the dunderhead's flag and keep on stepping, Marilyn....... gather is getting notorious for tolorating this outlandish behavior among their more envious members.

This vid is just awwwwwwwwsome!!! Thank you so much for sharing it!!

SA

"Wil, I HAVE lived in 7 states and at one point I had relatives in 48 states. That probably does give me a feel for what's going on here."

I HAVE lived in numerous states and have friends and relatives spread far and wide throughout the U.S., so I guess that ought to give me a feel for what's going on there, too.

"There may have always been people who didn't care, but the number of persons who care only about themselves has certainly increased. It's obvious everywhere you go, Wil."

If you weren't there 200 hundred years ago, how do you know how many people there were who only cared about themselves? Sorry Marilyn, I ain't buying it. If you want to believe that the U.S. is filled with a bunch of lazy, selfish, stupid people, you go right ahead. Maybe you're hanging out with the wrong people or something. But I know lots of people in the U.S. who care about other people and they prove it, every day. Just because they may not care about what you care about, or believe what you believe, or agree with everything you have to say, that doesn't mean they don't care about anything but themselves.

"Do I know what's happening in every school? Of course not."

Then you shouldn't pretend that you do, and making claims about what our public schools have no problem telling kids.

"But I know what the textbooks say. (There are only a few that are all over the country.)"

Well no, actually there are more than "a few" history textbooks published in the U.S., but please, tell me the title of one American history textbook that teaches kids about "how horrible the settlers were with the Indians" and not much else.

"I know what is being said here in cyberspace - by the kids being taught incorrectly, by parents and by grandparents who care about that. And by the comments people make about what they THINK happened...which is nothing like what really happened."

Yeah, I see people making incorrect or inaccurate comments about historical events all the time. The thing is, most of the ones I see aren't posted by kids. They're posted by adults, many of them older than I am. I guess being forced to recite the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer every day at school didn't mean they did well in American history. Or that what they were being taught was accurate.

Marilyn, did you know that the Pledge of Allegiance was created by Francis Bellamy, and that Mr. Bellamy was a Christian Socialist?

Forcing young children to pledge their allegiance (and, at least according to Mr. Skelton's explanation, all their worldly possessions) to their country doesn't seem like a good idea to me. I don't think doing so will make them care about others more than they already do, or instill them with "American values."

And I think if it's going to be kept as the official pledge, they ought to scrap the "under God" bit, and maybe even go back to the Bellamy's original wording.

Wil, I see the lazy people every day. They're clerks at the gas station and convenience store. Why do I think they're lazy or don't care? They're always on the phone or texting. They are rude to customers.

There are people on Gather all day who are at work. Sorry, Wil, that's not caring much about your job.

How would one know what the U.S. was like in the early days, Wil? By reading, of course. And not just text books, but biographies and autobiographies, journals and letters, and not just by famous people but by ancestors as well.

I'm 57, Wil, and I can see the huge difference in people from when I was a kid. People are not as kind. People are more self-centered. It's all around us, Wil, and not hard to see.

Hi Marilyn,
I forgot to rate when I was here before ...
So, let me rate ya now ...
Because the 'flag' on this post is silly and because I loved the video.
10 for you. And .425 for the flagger.

Yes, Wil, you've asked that before, I believe. I learned about that when my brother was a cub scout and had to learn all about the flag, the pledge, the national anthem. When you first mentioned that months ago in another thread, I went and re-read why he chose the words. So?

Surely you're not implying that one should disregard the words of persons who are not our clones in thought, are you? If that was the case, we would not quote anyone. We would disregard the wisdom of Mother Teresa, and of Confucius, of Abe Lincoln, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, just because we didn't agree with 100% of what they said.

Sadly, Wil, there is no pride in America at all anymore. Kids are not learning more than a smidgen of our history or any history.

I was talking with a high school girl one day about something in Ameican history, and she didn't know about it. I found that odd at the time, that she had never learned about Patrick Henry's "give me liberty, or give me death" speech. She commented, "I must have been sick that day."

At the time, I laughed quietly to myself at her comment. Then I realized what she said was probably true. It was probably given a cursory mention on a day that she wasn't there, and probably never part of a test.

That same girl had no idea of the struggles that happened in Europe because of religion nor how that played a part in some of the people who settled in the U.S. Religion has become such a "no-no" that even where it mattered in history is being ignored.

It's such a sad and true statement ... all of it.





At the time, I laughed quietly to myself at her comment. Then I realized what she said was probably true. It was probably given a cursory mention on a day that she wasn't there, and probably never part of a test.

That same girl had no idea of the struggles that happened in Europe because of religion nor how that played a part in some of the people who settled in the U.S. Religion has become such a "no-no" that even where it mattered in history is being ignored.
Marilyn M., May 8, 2009, 9:16am EDT

I was disappointed that my son didn't learn the pledge in school, but he did learn in karate class. I am not a christian, but I do highly believe in our pledge.

Heck public schools don't even sing the national anthem or america the beautiful anymore....

haven't in years...

and yeah, not everyone who works in a conv. store is lazy, I get up at 230 in the morning to open up our store, and work by myself for 8 hours...plus do the billings, stocking , inner stocking, scheduling and more....

Love this video, Marilyn. Reminds me of just why I loved Red so much. Thanks....Good night and Gawd Bless. :-)

I know everyone isn't lazy, Nellie. Maybe they just stand out more because it's so aggrevating to have to wait on a clerk who is busy talking to someone or chatting with somone and who is rude because you've interrupted the conversation. :)

I loved Red too, CA.

Thanks for sharing :)
Really nice video!

"Wil, I see the lazy people every day. They're clerks at the gas station and convenience store. Why do I think they're lazy or don't care? They're always on the phone or texting. They are rude to customers."

I'll say again, maybe you're hanging out with the wrong crowds, Marilyn. The last time I was in the States (a few years ago) I dealt with plenty of non-lazy people who provided great customer service. I occasionally ran into a few like those you're talking about, but they were a small minority.

I think in some instances standards of customer service, as well as public civility, are changing, but again, that's nothing new. My grandmother told us how her mother thought it was horrible when "dry goods stores" went to the self-service model and forced their customers to get their groceries themselves.

"There are people on Gather all day who are at work. Sorry, Wil, that's not caring much about your job."

Again, that's nothing new. Now it's social networking using computers, in other times it was gossiping around the water cooler, long lunches, personal calls on the phone, smoke-breaks, etc.

"How would one know what the U.S. was like in the early days, Wil? By reading, of course. And not just text books, but biographies and autobiographies, journals and letters, and not just by famous people but by ancestors as well."

I read, too, Marilyn. And I disagree with your claims about what was happening then, as well as now.

"I'm 57, Wil, and I can see the huge difference in people from when I was a kid. People are not as kind. People are more self-centered. It's all around us, Wil, and not hard to see."

Maybe it's not everybody else who's changed, Marilyn. Maybe it's you.

"Yes, Wil, you've asked that before, I believe."

And as far as I know, you didn't answer it before. Thanks for answering it now.

"Surely you're not implying that one should disregard the words of persons who are not our clones in thought, are you?"

"Sadly, Wil, there is no pride in America at all anymore."

Really? None at all? I find that very hard to believe, Marilyn. I'm sorry if you feel bummed out because you have no pride in America, Marilyn. But I don't think you should project that onto the rest of the population.

"I was talking with a high school girl..."

Wow, a kid didn't learn much in history class. Believe me, I can understand your frustration, Marilyn. But seriously, this is nothing new. I was taking high school history 20+ years ago, and there were kids that didn't learn much. The same was true for my father 30 years before. And no doubt it goes right back through the entire history of education in America.

And even for the kids who were (and are) interested, and did (and do) want to learn about American history, they weren't, and aren't, going to get a very accurate version from most high school history texts. That's nothing new, either. They might learn about the Boston Tea Party, but they're not likely to learn anything about the Boston Bread Riot, are they?

"That same girl had no idea of the struggles that happened in Europe because of religion nor how that played a part in some of the people who settled in the U.S. Religion has become such a "no-no" that even where it mattered in history is being ignored."

That's a shame, Marilyn. Because I think it's important that kids in America learn how religion played a role in America's history. That includes the struggles in Europe, but also the struggles that happened in and between the American colonies, like the Puritan persecution of Quakers. Apparently some kids are being taught that religious freedom was an important part of colonial life, when in fact that wasn't the case at all.

Or how while the Constitution forbade the federal government from establishing a state religion, there was no such restriction on the states, which led to situations in some states where people were refused the right to vote if they weren't members of the official state church? That might help some of them understand the importance of the Establishment Clause, and of the separation of church and state.

Nope. I just don't see why you're so gung-ho about kids being forced to recite a pledge of allegiance to the national government, given that such a pledge is much more in line with socialist ideals than with those of the Founding Fathers that you seem to regard so highly.

But in any case, I don't think forcing kids to recite a pledge of allegiance to the national government, or to pray to a god they may or may not believe in or worship, is going to make them more industrious, more courteous, or more knowledgeable of the past.

Wil, the qualities Marilyn, and others here at Gather have spoken of just are not as visible now as they were in generations past, like Red's, and mine. But, thankfully, they are still there in some people, and respected by some people and some companies. Mine for example, allows those who wish to do so to take up to a 2-hour lunch on Good Friday. Yes, many take it who either don't go to church then, or can't because theirs (or their denomination) isn't close enough to the building to be practical. But many DO take advantage of that for their beliefs whether they go to a service or not. Me? I used that extra hour to read the Bible. I'm just glad that my company gives us opportunities like that for free. It's only one of the ways my company supports its employees. And another reason I love working here.

Wil, yes it's true, there is very little pride in being an American anymore. Kids aren't taught that the US is a great country. They are taught all the things wrong with the country, but not what's right. Even the First Lady has not had any pride in America until now. She said so, and lots of Americans sat in their living rooms nodding their heads.

How can they have pride if they are not being taught?

Marilyn, I'm really sorry that you're so unhappy and miserable, and that you have no pride in your country (since you said there "is no pride in America at all anymore"). I honestly don't know if you're just making up that stuff about what you think kids are being taught, or if you really don't know any kids who know American history (or who can provide good customer service).

But I've got to say, for somebody who appears to be concerned that kids today don't know much about why the US is such a great country, you seem to spend a lot more time posting about what's wrong with the country than you do about what's right.

"Marilyn, I'm really sorry that you're so unhappy and miserable, and that you have no pride in your country (since you said there "

So how does saying "is no pride in America at all anymore" mean that Marylin has no pride in her country?

Thanks, Timothy. I am proud of what Amereican has been, and what she can certainly be again. :) I'm proud of parts of America still. But I'm ashamed of people who have become so reliant on the government that they think that's normal and how it has always been. I'm amazed at people who have decided that the rich somehow owe it to the poor to take care of them. And the rich should be proud to provide whatever is required of them without a second thought. I'm amazed at how many Americans are willing to let the government control so much of their lives, without question.

"So how does saying "is no pride in America at all anymore" mean that Marylin has no pride in her country?"

Because if Marilyn had pride in her country, then there would at least be a little bit of pride in America left. But according to Marilyn, there isn't any. None. She doesn't have any pride in America, you don't have any pride in America, I don't have any pride in America, because (again, according to Marilyn) nobody has pride in America these days. That's why there's "no pride in America at all anymore."

Thanks for sharing this. We always watched Red when I was a kid. Didn't know that kids don't say it any more. Times have really changed. God bless America (if He will).

"(again, according to Marilyn) nobody has pride in America these days."

You know Wil, people make such statements all of the time. However that doesn't necessarily mean that such statements are intended to be blanket statements, but it's certainly understandable when people take them as such.

For instance, I have been known to say " Boy, customers sure are stupid these days " Of course I don't actually think that all customers are stupid, but some certainly are.

It looks like this is the same angle that Marylin was taking.

"You know Wil, people make such statements all of the time."

Well I guess that makes it OK then. People lie all the time too, Tim. People make things up all the time. People present their opinions as if they were facts. Happens all the time.

Unfortunately, I don't think forcing kids to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or participate in a prayer is going to put a stop to it, either. After all, Marilyn said the Pledge when she was in school, and she claims that she prays a lot, and it doesn't seem to be working for her.

Wil, do you have Asperger's Syndrome?

"Unfortunately, I don't think forcing kids to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or participate in a prayer is going to put a stop to it, either. "

I'm not so sure that anybody here wants to force children to recite the Pledge of Allegiance or force them to participate in prayer. However if children are given the freedom of choice to do so, then what's so wrong with that?

"Wil, do you have Asperger's Syndrome?"

No, Marilyn. Do you?