President Bill Clinton was visiting an elementary school and when he visited one of the classes, (4th grade I believe) they were in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.
The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the class in the discussion of the word "tragedy".
So, the president asks the class for an example of a tragedy.
One little boy stands up and offers, "If my best friend, who lives next door, was playing in the street and a car came along and ran over him, that would be a tragedy.
"No", says Clinton, "that would be an accident."
A little girl raises her hand and says, "If a school bus carrying fifty 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.
The President asks: "Can anyone else 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 Air Force One, carrying Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, was struck by a missile and blown up to smithereens, that would be a tragedy!"
"Fantastic!", exclaims Clinton. "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."
The teacher asked the President if he would like to lead the class in the discussion of the word "tragedy".
So, the president asks the class for an example of a tragedy.
One little boy stands up and offers, "If my best friend, who lives next door, was playing in the street and a car came along and ran over him, that would be a tragedy.
"No", says Clinton, "that would be an accident."
A little girl raises her hand and says, "If a school bus carrying fifty 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.
The President asks: "Can anyone else 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 Air Force One, carrying Mr. and Mrs. Clinton, was struck by a missile and blown up to smithereens, that would be a tragedy!"
"Fantastic!", exclaims Clinton. "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."
lol