Z.B.: President George Bush is visiting an elementary
school today and he visits one of the classes
(4th grade).
They are in the middle of a discussion related
to words
and their meanings. The teacher asks the
President if he would like to lead the class in
the discussion of the word, "tragedy." So the
illustrious leader asks the class for an example
of a "tragedy." One little boy stands up and
offers, "If my best friend, who lives next door,
is playing in the street and a car comes along
and runs him over, that would be a tragedy."
" No," says Bush, "that would be an ACCIDENT."
A little girl raises her hand:
"If a school bus carrying 50 children drove off
a cliff, killing everyone involved, that would
be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not,"explains Mr. President. "That's
what we would call a GREAT LOSS."
The room goes silent. No other children
volunteer. President Bush searches
the room.
"Isn't there someone here who can give me an
example of a tragedy?"
Finally, way in the back of the room, a small
boy raises his hand.
In a quiet voice he says, "If an American Air
Force plane, carrying Mr. & Mrs. Bush, were
struck by a missile and blown up to smithereens,
by a terrorist like Osama bin Laden, that would
be a tragedy."
"Fantastic," exclaims Bush,"that's right. And
can you tell me WHY that would be a TRAGEDY?"
"Well," says the boy, "because it wouldn't be an
accident, and it certainly would be no great
loss."
