Story 8
John Wayne and the Pledge of Allegiance
My first Rodeo – such a wonderful piece of Americana. At the start of the rodeo everyone stood respectfully for the national anthem with hand on heart, some making the effort to sing along. And then, with heads bowed and without a murmur, they reverently listened to an old crackling 78 inch vinyl recording of John Wayne reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
On that note, and without wanting to be political in any way, I thought it would do no harm to hear his words, lest we forget what America truly stands for and what makes America truly great. It was because of the ideals expressed in the Pledge of Allegiance that I, an English Jew with a Hispanic last name, became an American citizen.