Two minutes silence on 11/11th every year

[El Presidente]

I was in the doctors waiting room this morning at the time. They announced a 2 minute silence, and it all went quiet except for two women who just keep talking - despite my withering glare.

Hold on TD, you clearly do not appreciate the importance of last night's Strictly Come Dancing result, they were fully justified to carry on yapping.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Hold on TD, you clearly do not appreciate the importance of last night's Strictly Come Dancing result, they were fully justified to carry on yapping.

My bad.

 

[Baron Pepperpot]

I was very moved by the tribute on Saturday which led to my thoughts when I watched the march-past in the Old Steine on Sunday.

The band were playing Sussex-by-the-Sea and as most folk know original version (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sussex_by_the_Sea) is a marching song. The people taking the salute were local politicians, and this annoys me. It harks back to the days of the elite and the class system which is oft broken down bit by bit by conflicts such as the World Wars.

I do feel that these events should herald the eldest and most decorated service men as the pinnacle of such ceremony and not politicians. It is politicians who ultimately create war, and war is ultimately becoming more political.

 

[Albumen]

We all should think of all those who were sent to war without choice, and how lucky we are now. What it shouldn't be is a forced event.
I'd go so far to question those who use it for a marketing basis, sure it widens the appeal but I can't help thinking people are making cash out of it. I say this as I've just seen the Yeoman's latest post of facebook. It's probably just the way it's written so I won't make a big thing out of it.

"Remembrance Day half price special is the Yeoman Burger w Mature Cheddar, Pickles, Fries & Autumn Salad...Only £6 — at Sussex Yeoman"

 

[cunning fergus]

We all should think of all those who were sent to war without choice, and how lucky we are now. What it shouldn't be is a forced event.
I'd go so far to question those who use it for a marketing basis, sure it widens the appeal but I can't help thinking people are making cash out of it. I say this as I've just seen the Yeoman's latest post of facebook. It's probably just the way it's written so I won't make a big thing out of it.

"Remembrance Day half price special is the Yeoman Burger w Mature Cheddar, Pickles, Fries & Autumn Salad...Only £6 — at Sussex Yeoman"

I agree with the sentiment, however re your first point I would add that we should not forget that many many tens of thousands who were sent to war have volunteered gladly..........they did so for many reasons, from blind patriotism to a deep sense of duty to their country. This may seem misplaced now, and they may have lost their enthusiasm when the reality of war took hold, however we should not forget this reality of history...............sure conscription replaced an individuals's choice to serve, but even then many gladly conscripted.

To some extent (and in my own opinion) those who chose without being compelled by conscription occupy the relatively higher moral ground than those who did not (and certainly those who did not gladly).

A minor matter in the scheme of things......................

 

[Gazwag]

Many people choose to ignore two minutes silence anyway so you are not going to be able to force it on people.

Take Saturday, chap in front of me was a little late to the ground and got stopped by the stewards at the steps coming up to the seats just before the minutes silence, there were a number of other people stopped as well and he said, despite everybody knowing what the delay was, most of them just carried on chatting.

Yesterday three twenty somethings could wait for the rememberance parade to pass them by in Hastings as the pub opposite had just opened, so the ran through a small gap between two youth groups.

 

[Husty]

Should we stop all traffic to show our respects once a year for two minutes to show our respect for all those that gave some much so we can have freedom. Did you stop and reflect for two minutes.

No, there's far too much fascism going on around this date these days.

 

[Hamilton]

I did stop in silence for two minutes.

However, I strongly believe that we should not force others to be silent (i.e. by stopping traffic - literal and figurative). Others fought so that we have the freedom to make our own choices, including the choice to remember the dead. Additionally, I believe, the moment a silence becomes mandatory, it loses its meaning - I have a silence because I want to remember the dead, not because I have to.

Very well said sir.

 

[HawkTheSeagull]

Many people choose to ignore two minutes silence anyway so you are not going to be able to force it on people.

Many people ? Really ? Last time i checked near enough 27,000 were silent at the Amex on Saturday - everyone in my workplace yesterday and today, the public included, stopped and were silent. Granted you get 1 or 2 disrespectful people, but that isnt "many" people - 1% at most.

Had I been driving at 11AM (and not been on a major road), then I would have pulled over, either way I would have been silent - all radio stations took part in the silence too.

 

[Gazwag]

Many people ? Really ? Last time i checked near enough 27,000 were silent at the Amex on Saturday - everyone in my workplace yesterday and today, the public included, stopped and were silent. Granted you get 1 or 2 disrespectful people, but that isnt "many" people - 1% at most.

Had I been driving at 11AM (and not been on a major road), then I would have pulled over, either way I would have been silent - all radio stations took part in the silence too.

Like I said, there were some who chatted in the consourse on Saturday and I witnessed a dozen or so wandering around Alexander Park in Hastings during the 2 minutes yesterday. OK not many % wise but that still equates to 10's of 1,000's of people in the country.

 

[The Birdman]

Many people ? Really ? Last time i checked near enough 27,000 were silent at the Amex on Saturday - everyone in my workplace yesterday and today, the public included, stopped and were silent. Granted you get 1 or 2 disrespectful people, but that isnt "many" people - 1% at most.

Had I been driving at 11AM (and not been on a major road), then I would have pulled over, either way I would have been silent - all radio stations took part in the silence too.

well done sir

 

[Stat Brother]