What is a tragedy?

[0007]

President Bush was visiting a primary school. One of
the classes was in the middle of a discussion related
to words and their meaning. The teacher asked the
president if he would like to lead the discussion of
the word "tragedy." So the illustrious leader asked
the class for an example of a tragedy.

Little Jimmy stood up and offered, "If my best friend,
Johnny, who lives on a farm, were playing in the field
and a tractor ran him over and killed him, that would
be a tragedy."

No," said Bush, "that would be an accident."

Little Suzie 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 president. "That's
what we would call a great loss."
The room went silent. No other children volunteered.
Bush searched the room.
"Isn't there someone here who can give me an example
of tragedy?"

Finally at the back of the room little Johnny raised
his hand. In a quiet voice he said: "If Air Force One
carrying Mr. and Mrs. Bush was struck by a "friendly
fire" missile and blown to smithereens, that would be
a tragedy."

"That's right!" exclaimed Bush. "Can you tell me why
that would be a tragedy?"

"Well," says little Johnny, "it has to be a tragedy,
because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it
probably wouldn't be an accident either."