<HTML>Some of you may have seen or heard this before, but for this holiday, it bears repeating. It was done at every performance by the late Red Skelton who, by the way, was a Mason of the 33rd degree. Here it is: I remember this one teacher; to me he was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time. He had such wisdom. Mr. Lasswell was his name. We were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and he walked over and said: "I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester and it seems as though it is monotonous to you. If I may, I'll recite it and explain to you the meaning of each word." I - me, an individual, a committee of one. Pledge - dedicate all my worldly goods to give without self-pity. Allegiance - my love and 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!" Of the United - that means we have all come together. States - Individual communities that have united into 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. Of America and to the Republic - a state to which sovereign power is invested in representatives chosen by 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 and the right of power to live one's own life without threats or fear of some sort of retaliation. And Justice - The principle of dealing fairly with others. For All - which means, boys and girls, it's as much your country as it is mine. 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's a prayer", and it would be eliminated from our schools too?                                                                                           Red Skelton This July 4th, remember this, especially consider the description of "Republic", in the ever continuing process of everyone clamoring for yet more and more government programs. Let's keep our country free so the following words by Lee Greenwood do not become irrelevant! "I'm proud to be an American where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died to give that right to me, and I'd gladly stand up, next to you and defend her to this day. Cause there ain't no doubt, I love this land. God Bless the U. S. A." Happy Fourth, </BLOCKQUOTE> </HTML>