John Kerry visits a primary school and sits in on one of the classes, which
is in the middle of a discussion of words and their meaning. The teacher
asks Mr. Kerry if he would like to lead the discussion of the word
"tragedy." So, the illustrious senator 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."
"That's wrong," Kerry shouts. "That would be considered 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."
"You are completely incorrect," shouts the senator. "That would be what we
would consider a great loss."
The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.
Kerry 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
voice, he says, "If a plane carrying the Senator John Kerry were struck by a
missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaims Kerry. "You are absolutely right. Can you tell me why
that would be a tragedy?"
"Well," says the boy, "because it sure as hell wouldn't be a great loss, and
it probably wouldn't be an accident!"