Definition of a Tragedy
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Loading ...President Bill Clinton was addressing a group of school children and explaining the importance of choosing precisely the right words to express your thoughts.
He asked the class if someone could give an example of the word Tragedy.
A little boy raised his hand and said “If two children were having a catch and the ball rolled into the street and one of the children ran after it and got killed by a car, that would be a tragedy”.
The President thought for a moment and replied “Son, that might be more like an accident than a tragedy. Anyone else have an idea? Yes, you down in the front row.”
A little girl stood up and said “If a school bus full of children on the way to a museum got hit by a train and all the children got killed, would that be a tragedy?”
“It would be very sad and a great loss, but perhaps not a tragedy”, the President replied. “Anyone else?”
A little boy in the back stood up.
“Sir, if you and Mrs. Clinton were on Air Force One and the plane was hit by a missile from Iraq and the plane blew up and you and Mrs. Clinton were killed, that would be a tragedy.”
“Very good, son”, said the President. “How did you decide to use that excellent example?”
“Well, Sir,” said the boy, “I knew it wasn’t an accident, and it wouldn’t be a great loss, so I guess it must be a tragedy.”
