Esther Goodday
Excerpts from Gateway for Better Education,
Cont. 2012 Reprint granted for educational purposes only. Classroom Poster Order www.gtbe.org. Order by phone 800 929 1163
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.
The Pledge of Allegiance is something we like to say because it reminds us of the wonderful things about America. To make a pledge means to make a promise. But, a lot of us say the Pledge and never stop to think about what it means. Today, let’s spend a few minutes learning about each part of the Pledge. You could look at the Pledge as having two parts: a dedication to our country and a description of our country.
A Dedication to Our Country: The first thing we say in the Pledge is, “I pledge allegiance.” What does it mean to make a pledge? To make a pledge means to make a promise. What does the word allegiance mean? Allegiance means to be faithful or loyal. It means people can count on you to be on their side. Why the flag? Because, the flag is a symbol of our fifty states joined together to be one country. When we say the Pledge, we are promising to be faithful to our country. It is my opinion, Esther, so sad to see our United States of American Flag being burned and stomped on while the Mexican flag is being flown inches away.
The next thing we say in the Pledge is “of the United States of America.” That’s our country. Then, we say, “and to the Republic for which it stands.” One of the really good ideas that bond us together as Americans is our loyalty to the way we govern ourselves—as a republic. That simply means that we elect people to rep-resent us when they lead our country for a certain amount of time. They are accountable to us for the job they do. So, the flag is a representation of our country. esthergoodday@gmail.com
