DEAR ABBY: It was heartwarming to see the letter shortly before Memorial Day from a 13-year-old student who wrote you about a veteran who spoke at her school. He helped all of the students to better understand the significance of the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag. It shows that our young people are concerned about liberty and justice.
I wonder how many Americans pause to consider that the pledge of the flag is really a pledge to the ideals of our forefathers. These men fought and many died to build our great nation.
The Pledge of Allegiance is a pledge to fulfill our duties and obligations as citizens of the United States and to uphold the principles of our Constitution.
As Franklin Delano Roosevelt explained, "It is a pledge to maintain the four great freedoms cherished by all Americans: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear.
Thank you, Abby, for the many years I have enjoyed your column. You may sign me ... KEN NELSON, SOMIS, CALIF.
DEAR KEN: Although I received your thought-provoking letter a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist saving it to print on Independence Day. It is meaningful to reflect upon the fact that our founding fathers wrote our Constitution after having lived in a monarchy that guaranteed none of these blessed freedoms.