Barack Obama was visiting
a school in North Carolina, a fourth grade class. 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 discussion on the word ‘tragedy.’ So the
president 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 him over 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 off a cliff, killing
everyone, 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 child 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.
The teacher held her
breath.
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 a tragedy?”
“Well,” says Johnny, “It
has to be a tragedy, because it sure as hell wouldn't be a great loss… and you
can bet your ass it wouldn’t be an accident either!
The teacher fainted…..
Joke courtesy of Anne Berg.
