Robert Mugabe
President Mugabe is visiting a primary school and he visits one of the classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and their meanings. The teacher asks the president if he would like to lead the discussion on the word "Tragedy". So the illustrious leader 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 war vet comes along and knocks him dead with a log, that would be a tragedy."
"No," says Mugabe," that would be 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."
"I'm afraid not," explains the president. "That's what we would call a great loss."
The room goes silent. No other children volunteer. Mugabe 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 Zimbabwe Air Force jet carrying Mr Mugabe were struck by a missile and blown to smithereens that would be a tragedy."
"Fantastic!" exclaims Mugabe. "That's right. And can you tell me why that would be tragedy?"
"Well," says the boy, "because it certainly wouldn't be a great loss and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."
| Permalink |