Subject: Now *that* would be a tragedy...
Date: Mon, Jul 16 2001 00:00:04 -0400

My brother got this from Aaron Kemmer.

President Bush is visiting an elementary school one day, and he visits one of the classes (4th grade, I believe). 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 our illustrious leader asks the class for an example of a tragedy.

One little boy stands up and offers, "If my bestfriend, who lives next door, is playing in the street and a car comes along and runs over him, 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, that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explains the 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, Little Johnny raises his hand.

In a quiet voice he says, "If Air Force One, carrying Mr. and Mrs. Bush, was struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."

"Fantastic," exclaims Bush, "that's right. And can you tell me WHY that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," Johnny says, "because it wouldn't be an accident, and it surely wouldn't be a great loss."