P A T R I O T I S M

[EWO]

ME TOO !!!!!!!!!!!

[cholla]

Artist/Band: Cash Johnny

Lyrics for Song: Ballad of Ira Hayes

Ira Hayes

CHORUS:

Call him drunken Ira Hayes

He won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian

Nor the Marine that went to war

Gather round me people there's a story I would tell

About a brave young Indian you should remember well

From the land of the Pima Indian

A proud and noble band

Who farmed the Phoenix valley in Arizona land

Down the ditches for a thousand years

The water grew Ira's peoples' crops

'Till the white man stole the water rights

And the sparklin' water stopped

Now Ira's folks were hungry

And their land grew crops of weeds

When war came, Ira volunteered

And forgot the white man's greed

CHORUS:

Call him drunken Ira Hayes

He won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian

Nor the Marine that went to war

There they battled up Iwo Jima's hill,

Two hundred and fifty men

But only twenty-seven lived to walk back down again

And when the fight was over

And when Old Glory raised

Among the men who held it high

Was the Indian, Ira Hayes

CHORUS:

Call him drunken Ira Hayes

He won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian

Nor the Marine that went to war

Ira returned a hero

Celebrated through the land

He was wined and speeched and honored; Everybody shook his hand

But he was just a Pima Indian

No water, no crops, no chance

At home nobody cared what Ira'd done

And when did the Indians dance

CHORUS:

Call him drunken Ira Hayes

He won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian

Nor the Marine that went to war

Then Ira started drinkin' hard;

Jail was often his home

They'd let him raise the flag and lower it

like you'd throw a dog a bone!

He died drunk one mornin'

Alone in the land he fought to save

Two inches of water in a lonely ditch

Was a grave for Ira Hayes

CHORUS:

Call him drunken Ira Hayes

He won't answer anymore

Not the whiskey drinkin' Indian

Nor the Marine that went to war

Yeah, call him drunken Ira Hayes

But his land is just as dry

And his ghost is lyin' thirsty

In the ditch where Ira died

[EWO]

Ira was a great man - it doesn't matter how he died.  All that counts is his greatness.

IMHO

[tdawnaz]

thanks a lott...EWO and ROM-DOS...now i'm sitting here tears streaming down my cheeks...whatta day...whatta feeling...thx really for bringing that to my heart...i've never heard either of those songs i don't think...either of u know where i could go to listen to them??

cholla...that's a great poem too...i'm pretty sure i've heard it...at least i've heard of ira hayes...thx

[EWO]

Might try Rhapsody and call either one up.  I think they are still doing the free 25 per month.

Jim

[tdawnaz]

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=38690646

Trace Adkins - Arlington

[cholla]

Ira was a great man - it doesn't matter how he died.  All that counts is his greatness.

IMHO

EWO:I just put in the exact song lyrics.The song is really about how crappy the USA treated a hero like Ira after he came home.

tdawnaz;Here's some more info on the song & Ira.

The tragic story of his life was immortalized in a song, "The Ballad of Ira Hayes," by

Peter LaFarge and performed by Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan.

Ira Hamilton Hayes (January 12, 1923

[tommie gorman]

We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

[tommie gorman]

George Washington

1st President

(1789-1797)

   

His personal quotes:

The time is near at hand which must determine whether Americans are to be free men or slaves.

Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for 'tis better to be alone than in bad company.

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few; and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence.

Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. True friendship is a plant of slow growth, and must undergo and withstand the shocks of adversity before it is entitled to the appellation.

A slender acquaintance with the world must convince every man that actions, not words, are the true criterion of the attachment of friends.

Few people have the virtue to withstand the highest bidder.

It is the child of avarice, the brother of iniquity, and the father of mischief.

Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.

As Mankind becomes more liberal, they will be more apt to allow that all those who conduct themselves as worthy members of the community are equally entitled to the protections of civil government. I hope ever to see America among the foremost nations of justice and liberality.

How soon we forget history... Government is not reason. Government is not eloquence. It is force. And, like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.

It may be laid down as a primary position, and the basis of our system, that every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a Free Government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even of his personal services to the defense of it.

If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth

[tommie gorman]

Tooo danged long to copy.

The Farewell Address of President George Washington

http://www.angelfire.com/folk/patriotscorner/WashingtonFarewell.html

Enjoy^^

[tommie gorman]

The Lady

I wonder what she thought

As she stood there, strong and tall.

She couldn't turn away,

She was forced to watch it all.

Did she long to offer comfort

As her country bled?

With her arm forever frozen

High above her head.

She could not shield her eyes

She could not hide her face

She just stared across the water

Keeping Freedom's place.

The smell of smoke and terror

Somehow reduced her size

So small within the harbor

But still we recognized...

How dignified and beautiful

On a day so many died

I wonder what she thought,

And I know she must have cried.

Author Unknown

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[tommie gorman]

A nice good link, have your volume on. Don't forget to Hit F11 Key for full window.

America: http://www.usa-patriotism.com/tribute/flag_pole/america.htm

We Support U: http://www.usa-patriotism.com/tribute/support/WeSupportU.htm

We Will Remember: http://www.usa-patriotism.com/tribute/support/9_11_01.htm

Thanks in Our Name for Deeds in Our Name: http://www.usa-patriotism.com/tribute/thanks01.htm

If you sre not crying, I will kick your butt!!

[tommie gorman]

The time ran out, so here we go again.

Audie Murphy

Representing the best who served in World War II

Take a very good look at the photo of this boyish looking young man . . . as he served the United States of America well beyond the call of duty and was the most decorated American combat soldier of World War II.

He killed 240 enemy soldiers, was wounded three times, and earned an astonishing 33 awards and medals, including the Medal of Honor.

Even France and Belgium presented him with 5 decorations.

And he was only 21 years old at the end of the war!

After the war, his valor lead him to a career in Hollywood where he starred in 40 movies before his tragic death in 1971 in an airplane accident.  America is truly fortunate that men like Audie Murphy have always been there when the call of duty and honor is heard!

[tommie gorman]

Sgt. York - Most Decorated in World War I

Sgt. Alvin C. York

Representing the best who served in World War I

Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army, Company G, 328th Infantry, 82d Division. Place and date: Near Chatel-Chehery, France, 8 October 1918.

Citation for Medal of Honor...

After his platoon had suffered heavy casualties and 3 other noncommissioned officers had become casualties, Cpl. York assumed command.  Fearlessly leading 7 men, he charged with great daring a machinegun nest which was pouring deadly and incessant fire upon his platoon. In this heroic feat the machinegun nest was taken, together with 4 officers and 128 men and several guns.  (He was subsequently promoted to sergeant.)

[tommie gorman]

Founding Fathers / First Patriots

Interesting facts about the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence!

  Twenty-four were lawyers / jurists.

Eleven were merchants.

Nine were farmers and large plantation owners.

Five were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.  Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.

Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.

Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.  They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.

And while many know of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, John Adams, and other famous signers . . . here is what happened to several of the lesser known ones...

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy.  He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly.  He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding.  His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Rutledge, and Middleton had their properties looted by vandals or soldiers.

Thomas Nelson Jr., at the battle of Yorktown, noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters.  He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire.  The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed.  The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying.  Their 13 children fled for their lives.  His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste.  For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished.  A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates.

Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution.  These were not wild-eyed or war hungry . . . They were soft-spoken men of means and education.  They had security, but they valued liberty more.  Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged . . .

"For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."

So, every July 4th . . . take a moment to silently remember these first USA patriots for doing what was needed, regardless of consequences to themselves . . . And do the same for all of the heroes who have followed them, as their noble efforts allow us to continue to celebrate Independence Day as it was meant to be!

Freedom is priceless . . . as its costs are the lives given valiantly to have it!

[tommie gorman]

John F. Kennedy

35th President

(1961-1963)

   

His quotes:

We stand for freedom. That is our conviction for ourselves; that is our only commitment to others.

All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin. And therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words "Ich bin ein Berliner!"

Forgive your enemies, but never forget their names.

The American, by nature, is optimistic. He is experimental, an inventor and a builder who builds best when called upon to build greatly.

Liberty without learning is always in peril; learning without liberty is always in vain.

There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction

A man does what he must-in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all human morality.

For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.

A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on.

History is a relentless master. It has no present, only the past rushing into the future. To try to hold fast is to be swept aside.

I know there is a God - I see the storm coming and I see his hand in it - if he has a place then I am ready - we see the hand.

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.

A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten.

I look forward to a great future for America - a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan.

And so, my fellow Americans... ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

[tommie gorman]

Harry Truman

33rd President

(1945-1953)

   

His quotes:

It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit.

Carry the battle to them. Don't let them bring it to you. Put them on the defensive. And don't ever apologize for anything.

A pessimist is one who makes difficulties of his opportunities and an optimist is one who makes opportunities of his difficulties.

A politician is a man who understands government. A statesman is a politician who's been dead for 15 years.

Actions are the seed of fate deeds grow into destiny.

Always be sincere, even if you don't mean it.

America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination and an unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.

In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first.

I never did give them hell. I just told the truth, and they thought it was hell.

I would rather have peace in the world than be President.

I always remember an epitaph which is in the cemetery at Tombstone, Arizona. It says: 'Here lies Jack Williams. He done his damnedest.' I think that is the greatest epitaph a man can have - When he gives everything that is in him to do the job he has before him. That is all you can ask of him and that is what I have tried to do.

[tommie gorman]

Abraham Lincoln

16th President

(1861-1865)

   

His qoutes:

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crises. The great point is to bring them the real facts.

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any one thing.

If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend.

It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him.

The probability that we may fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.

You may deceive all the people part of the time, and part of the people all the time, but not all the people all the time.

'Tis better to be silent and be thought a fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

"A drop of honey catches more flies than a gallon of gal." So with men. If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend. Therein is a drop of honey which catches his heart, which, say what he will, is the highroad to his reason.

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Die when I may, I want it said by those who knew me best that I always plucked a thistle and planted a flower where I thought a flower would grow.

[tommie gorman]

President Ronald Reagan

Fortieth President

(1981-1989)

   

His quotes:

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

You and I have a rendezvous with destiny. We will preserve for our children this, the last best hope of man on earth, or we will sentence them to take the first step into a thousand years of darkness. If we fail, at least let our children and our children's children say of us we justified our brief moment here. We did all that could be done.

The ultimate determinant in the struggle now going on for the world will not be bombs and rockets but a test of wills and ideas-a trial of spiritual resolve: the values we hold, the beliefs we cherish and the ideals to which we are dedicated.

People don't start wars, governments do.

Above all, we must realize that no arsenal, or no weapon in the arsenals of the world, is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men and women. It is a weapon our adversaries in today's world do not have.

My fellow Americans, I am pleased to tell you I just signed legislation which outlaws Russia forever. The bombing begins in five minutes  (Joking during a test before one of his radio addresses.)

Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

I call upon the scientific community in our country, those who gave us nuclear weapons, to turn their great talents now to the cause of mankind and world peace: to give us the means of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete.

There are no great limits to growth because there are no limits of human intelligence, imagination, and wonder.

I have left orders to be awakened at any time in case of national emergency, even if I'm in a cabinet meeting.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are... I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.

But there are advantages to being elected President. The day after I was elected, I had my high school grades classified Top Secret.

   

You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans.

Thomas Jefferson once said, 'We should never judge a president by his age, only by his works.' And ever since he told me that, I stopped worrying.

I couldn't help but say to [Mr. Gorbachev], just think how easy his task and mine might be in these meetings that we held if suddenly there was a threat to this world from another planet. [We'd] find out once and for all that we really are all human beings here on this earth together.

General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!

I

[tommie gorman]

Franklin D. Roosevelt

32nd President

(1933-1945)

   

His quotes:(WWII Pres.)

A nation that destroys it's soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.

Be sincere; be brief; be seated.

Confidence... thrives on honesty, on honor, on the sacredness of obligations, on faithful protection and on unselfish performance. Without them it cannot live.

Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people. A nation does not have to be cruel to be tough.

I sometimes think that the saving grace of America lies in the fact that the overwhelming majority of Americans are possessed of two great qualities- a sense of humor and a sense of proportion.

The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.

First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.

If civilization is to survive, we must cultivate the science of human relationships - the ability of all peoples, of all kinds, to live together, in the same world at peace.

Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country.

Yesterday, December 7, 1941 - a date which will live on in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

[tommie gorman]

Theodore Roosevelt

26th President

(1901-1909)

   

His qoutes: You will love him cholla

The death-knell of the republic had rung as soon as the active power became lodged in the hands of those who sought, not to do justice to all citizens, rich and poor alike, but to stand for one special class and for its interests as opposed to the interests of others.

A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car; but if he has a university education, he may steal the whole railroad.

Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

A man who is good enough to shed his blood for his country is good enough to be given a square deal afterwards. More than that no man is entitled to, and less than that no man shall have.

Every immigrant who comes here should be required within five years to learn English or leave the country.

A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues.

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorius triumphs, even though checkered by failure... than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.

Big jobs usually go to the men who prove their ability to outgrow small ones.

In a moment of decision the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing. (I am glad Bush believes this!)

No man is above the law and no man is below it: nor do we ask any man's permission when we ask him to obey it

Great thoughts speak only to the thoughtful mind, but great actions speak to all mankind.

There is a homely old adage which runs: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far." If the American nation will speak softly, and yet build and keep at a pitch of the highest training a thoroughly efficient navy, the Monroe Doctrine will go far.

[tommie gorman]

American Will Survive

Fires still burn where terror struck

Smoke still hovers in the skies

But let the world make no mistake

The eagle still proudly flies

The rescue and clean up have begun

Each continuing till the end

As presidents and politicians

Separate enemies from friends

As a nation shocked and saddened

We prepare ourselves for war

And no one has a single doubt

Just what we're fighting for

Flags have vanished off store shelves

To reappear most everywhere

Antennas, porches, and billboards

The country has come together

In a way we never have before

As shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand

We face what the future holds in store

Waving flags and singing anthems

With candles shining near and far

The "UNITED STATES" is suddenly

Exactly what we are

Old Glory flies above us

The Eagle soars higher still

No one else in all the world

Can match our courage and our will

Ahead lies much uncertainty

Many more may lose their lives

But of one thing there is no doubt

America WILL survive!!

- Dusty Tincher

[tommie gorman]

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

November 19, 1863

On the battlefield near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, USA

"Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation: conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war. . .testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated. . . can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war.

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate. . .we cannot consecrate. . . we cannot hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us. . .that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion. . . that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain. . . that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom. . . and that government of the people. . .by the people. . .for the people. . . shall not perish from this earth."

[tommie gorman]

                            WHY THE AMERICAN FLAG IS FOLDED 13 TIMES

Have you ever wondered why the flag of the United States of America is folded 13 times when it is lowered or when it is folded and handed to the widow at the burial of a veteran?

Here is the meaning of each of those folds and what it means to you.

The 'first fold' of our flag is a symbol of life.

The 'second fold' is a symbol of our belief in eternal life.

The 'third fold' is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing our ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of our country to attain peace throughout the world. The 'fifth fold' is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong."

The 'sixth fold' is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we 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.

The 'seventh fold' is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

The 'eighth fold' is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother's Day.

The 'ninth fold' is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.

The 'tenth fold' is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

The 'eleventh fold', in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The 'twelfth fold', in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Spirit.

When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost reminding us of our nation's motto, "In God We Trust".

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the sailors and marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges, and freedoms we enjoy today.

The next time you see a flag ceremony honoring someone that has served our country, either in the Armed Forces or in our civilian services such as the Police Force or Fire Department, keep in mind all the important reasons behind each and every movement. They have paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us by honoring our flag and our Country.

[tommie gorman]

I have to admit I would have never thought to include this person.

                                                     Pledge Of Allegiance

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 of America- - 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 - - 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; 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 - 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 is a prayer, and that would be eliminated from schools, too?

--Red Skelton