Mark Koernke opened the show with two extended recitations: first, a maritime folk song about Davy Jones and sailors at sea, and second, a nostalgic personal anecdote about a teacher named Mr. Laswell who explained the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance word-by-word to his seventh-grade class, emphasizing individual responsibility, unity, and constitutional principles. The episode concluded with reflection on the addition of 'under God' to the Pledge and concerns about its potential removal from schools.
Francis Brode, heartaches were healed by, I'm tellin' you don't. Gray and grand, he's doomed to sail the seven seas, And ne'er set foot on you, chance to see him be dead from fright. So sailors tell their children, On a dark and thrusty quays his locker locks, Just like he's half asleep, he's stock. Hitler's so at sixteen knots we fairly flew, A darkness ten stories high Who went up their blue and icy squall And over comes Deep he walks with rusty keys His lopper locks just like he's half asleep He stalks forty fathoms deep Forty fathoms deep he owns Each sleeping sailor's soggy bone Legend they call David Jones Forty fathoms I say a prayer, all those mates who died I turn my back on Davy Jones and cast my fears aside Raise up my head and kick my feet and toward the light I go The heartless jailer left behind, the locker far below Forty fathoms deep he walks with rusty keys his locker locks Just like he's half asleep he stops Forty fathoms deep Forty fathoms deep he owns Each sleeping sailor's song and bond The legend they call Davy Jones at Forty Fathoms I went through the seventh grade. I went to the seventh grade. I left home when I was 10 years old because I was hungry. I used to work in the summer and I'd go to school in the winter. But I had this one teacher, he was the principal of the Harrison School in Vince and in Indiana. To me, this was the greatest teacher, a real sage of my time, anyhow. He had such wisdom and we were all reciting the Pledge of Allegiance one day. And he walked over, this little old teacher, Mr. Laswell was his name. Mr. Laswell, this is, He says, I've been listening to you boys and girls recite the Pledge of Allegiance all semester. And it seems as though it's becoming monotonous to you. If I may, may I recite it and try to explain to you the meaning of each word. 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, oh glory. A symbol of freedom. Wherever she waves, there's 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. Individual communities that have united into 48 great states. 48 individual communities with pride and dignity and purpose, all divided with imaginary boundaries yet united to a common purpose. And that's 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, 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. 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?
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