Presidential candidate, Barack Obama was visiting a primary school and he
visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related
to words and their meanings. The teacher asked the presidential candidate if
he would like to lead the discussion on the word 'tragedy.' So our
illustrious democrat presidential candidate asked the class for an example
of a 'tragedy.'
One little boy stood up and offered: 'If my best friend, who lives on a
farm, is playing in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him,
that would be a tragedy.'
'No,' said Obama, 'that would be an accident.'
A little girl raised her hand: 'If a school bus carrying 50 children drove
over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy.'
'I'm afraid not,' explained Obama. 'That's what we would call great loss.'
The room went silent. No other children volunteered. Obama searched the
room. 'Isn't there someone here who can give me an example of a tragedy?'
Finally at the back of the room, Little Johnny raised his hand. In a quiet
voice he said: 'If the plane carrying you and Mrs. Obama was struck by a
'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy.'
'Fantastic!' exclaimed Obama. 'That's right. And can you tell me why that
would be tragedy?'
'Well,' says the boy, 'It has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't
be a great loss...and it probably wouldn't be an accident either.'
