Post by Stu on Nov 15, 2005 20:44:41 GMT
Prime Minister Tony Blair was visiting a primary school and he visited one of the classes. They were in the middle of a discussion related to words & their meanings.
The teacher asked the Prime Minister if he would like to lead the discussion on the word "tragedy". So the illustrious leader 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 Blair "that would be an accident."
A little girl then 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 the Prime Minister "that's what we would call a great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered.
Blair searched 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 raised his hand... In a quiet voice he said "If the Royal Flight carrying you & Mrs. Blair was struck by a "friendly fire" missile & blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaimed Blair . "That's right. Can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," said the boy "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be a f***ing accident either!"
The teacher asked the Prime Minister if he would like to lead the discussion on the word "tragedy". So the illustrious leader 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 Blair "that would be an accident."
A little girl then 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 the Prime Minister "that's what we would call a great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered.
Blair searched 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 raised his hand... In a quiet voice he said "If the Royal Flight carrying you & Mrs. Blair was struck by a "friendly fire" missile & blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaimed Blair . "That's right. Can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," said the boy "it has to be a tragedy, because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be a f***ing accident either!"