sadness
11-22-2002, 07:37 AM
George W. Bush is visiting a school. In one class, he asks the students if anyone can give him an example of a "tragedy." One little boy stands up and offers that, "If my best friend who lives next door was playing in the street when a car came along and killed him, that would be a tragedy."
"No," Bush says, "That would be an accident."
A girl raises her hand. "If a school bus carrying fifty children drove off a cliff, killing everyone involved... that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," explains Bush, "that is what we would call a great loss."
The room is silent; none of the other children volunteer. "What?" asks Bush, "isn't there any one here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally, a boy in the back raises his hand. In a timid voice, he says: "If an airplane carrying George & Laura Bush were blown up by a bomb, that would be a tragedy."
"Wonderful!" Bush beams. "Marvelous! 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!"
"No," Bush says, "That would be an accident."
A girl raises her hand. "If a school bus carrying fifty children drove off a cliff, killing everyone involved... that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," explains Bush, "that is what we would call a great loss."
The room is silent; none of the other children volunteer. "What?" asks Bush, "isn't there any one here who can give me an example of a tragedy?"
Finally, a boy in the back raises his hand. In a timid voice, he says: "If an airplane carrying George & Laura Bush were blown up by a bomb, that would be a tragedy."
"Wonderful!" Bush beams. "Marvelous! 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!"