PRIME MINISTER STEPHEN HARPER was visiting an Ontario primary school and the class was in
the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings.
The teacher asked Mr. Harper if he would like to lead the discussion on the
word 'Tragedy'. So our illustrious leader asked the class for an example of a 'Tragedy'.
A little boy stood up and offered:
"If my best friend, who lives on a farm, is playin' in the field and a tractor runs over him and kills him, that would be a tragedy."
"Incorrect" said Harper. "That would be an accident."
A little girl raised her hand:
"If a school bus carrying 50 children drove over a cliff, killing everybody inside, that would be a tragedy."
"I'm afraid not," said Harper. "That's what we would refer to as a great loss.''
The room went silent.
No other children volunteered.
Harper 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 and said:
"If a plane carrying you, President Obama, and Prime Minister David Cameron (UK) was struck by a 'friendly fire' missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic," exclaimed Harper. "And can you tell me why that would be a tragedy?"
"Well," said Johnny, "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!"
Author
Topic: True Education (Read 814 times)