Brind
12-01-2004, 10:57 PM
> >Tony Blair is visiting a primary school and he visits one of the
classes.
> >They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their
meanings.
> >
> >The teacher asks the Mr. Blair if he would like to lead the discussion on
> >the word "tragedy".
> >
> >So the illustrious leader asks,the class for an example of a "tragedy".
> >
> >One little boy stands up and offers: "If my best friend, who lives on a
> >farm, is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and
> >knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy."
> >
> >
> >"No," says the Great Tony Blair," that would be an accident."
> >
> >A little girl raises 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," explains the exalted Prime Minister. "That's what we
> >would call a great loss."
> >
> >The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.
> >
> > Mr. Blair searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me
> >an example of a tragedy?"
> >
> >Finally at the back of the room a small boy raises his hand. In a
> >quiet voicehe says: "If a jet carrying the Prime Minister and Mrs.Blair
was
> >struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
> >
> > "Fantastic!" Exclaims Tony, "That's right. And can you tell me why that
> >would be tragedy?"
> >
> >"Well," says the boy, "because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and
> >it probably wouldn't be an accident either."
classes.
> >They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their
meanings.
> >
> >The teacher asks the Mr. Blair if he would like to lead the discussion on
> >the word "tragedy".
> >
> >So the illustrious leader asks,the class for an example of a "tragedy".
> >
> >One little boy stands up and offers: "If my best friend, who lives on a
> >farm, is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and
> >knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy."
> >
> >
> >"No," says the Great Tony Blair," that would be an accident."
> >
> >A little girl raises 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," explains the exalted Prime Minister. "That's what we
> >would call a great loss."
> >
> >The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.
> >
> > Mr. Blair searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give me
> >an example of a tragedy?"
> >
> >Finally at the back of the room a small boy raises his hand. In a
> >quiet voicehe says: "If a jet carrying the Prime Minister and Mrs.Blair
was
> >struck by a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
> >
> > "Fantastic!" Exclaims Tony, "That's right. And can you tell me why that
> >would be tragedy?"
> >
> >"Well," says the boy, "because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and
> >it probably wouldn't be an accident either."