To expect one's colleagues to respect the 2 minute silence for Armistice Day

[suebfg]

...and not make a phone call in the middle of the office?

I thought it was up to the individual if they wanted to mark it as a sign of respect?
I did mark the occasion, but a few colleagues didn't. I assume because they were already on urgent business phone calls at the time. You can be silent to mark the occasion but you can't force anyone else to.

and OP this is not about morals.

did they make the call, or receive the call?

could it have been an overseas call, (time differences)?

YANBU, but as you have said, there may have been an unavoidable reason for it.

So glad today is over and done with. YABU OP.

Sorry - misread, it wasn't the OP.

But I think the underlying point stands - if it is management sanctioned, or the predominant sentiment, then it is incumbent on those not participating to refrain from preventing the observation. This is basic manners and consideration (like not interfering with prayer when working in offices in some Muslim countries), and is not difficult for a considerate person to manage.

It's not that I agree with war - far from it, in fact. My thoughts on this day are always of both my grandads. Neither of them wanted to fight, but they did. Both killed, one shot in a nondescript field in Belgium, the other burned to death in a tank somewhere in north Africa.

I don't reckon they though too much about how their actions would contribute directly to the freedom we all enjoy today. They were probably too shit-scared to bother being philosophical and just wanted to get home to their wives and some sort of normality.

But they would probably have stopped using the phone for 2 minutes if it was seen as a symbol of respect.

I observe the silence for them. It's a very small act. I'm not brave like them. I just wish others would respect this.

HeresTheThingBooyhoo - Deliberately talking through the 2 mins silence is akin to talking or booing at a footie game during a minutes silence for a deceased player.

Regardless of your own opinion on the minute or two's silence, show a bit maturity & respect for others opinions & observe it. I'm sure you can let your colleagues or friends know afterwards it was done under sufferance. Is it such a big deal for 2 minutes once a year?

I hate the fact that we all have to be so bloody politically correct all the time and 'understand' each other's views. Ignoring the 2 minutes silence on Remembrance day is selfish and disrespectful. End of.
And ignoring it because you object to war? Grow up. And the next time you bump into a member of the forces, say thank you, because you're damn lucky to live in a country where you have the right to air that view.

I personally am very respectful of the two minute silence even tho I am not British. To me it is basic manners. I wouldn't and haven't continued conversations during the silence. Have called people back. However it is personal choice so can't force people to observe it.

altkinkum as much as the services you mention are to be admired for the sometimes thankless job they do, no one is saying they are not remembered. However the people who gave thier lives for this to be a free country surely deserve the mark of respect by a 2 minute silence.

Yes life does go on, but for the war widows and families who lost thier loved ones , life had to carry on without their husband, son, brother sister, wife .

A little respect , a tribute and aknowledgement for 2 minutes a year is hardly disruptive is it.
Also its a time when all the "forces" proudly salute their predecessor comrades.

I went outside and thought about my grandfather - who eventually came home after being stuck in the army an extra year after VJ day so his superior wouldn't lose his temporary promotion.

And I thought about my son, and how I hope he never wants to join the armed forces. Or go skydiving. Or get a motorbike.

And then I totally distracted myself imagining the conversation if they'd ever met, and the mutual incomprehension that would ensue.

Hey ho.

it is NOT the same as booing at a 2 minute silence for a football player!!

this was an office, a place of work. the person was working. everyone who observed the silnce opted to cease work for 2 minutes. this person did not and has every right not to cease work if that's what they want. it is their choice. the other people chose to be silent.

"Regardless of your own opinion on the minute or two's silence, show a bit maturity & respect for others opinions & observe it."

so people should observe all things that other people observe even when they dont want to or it is against their own beliefs jsut because you say so? i dont think so. hardly any point in having beliefs if no-one is entitled to follow them.

It was a completely avoidable call - no time difference, not urgent, could have waited 2 minutes.

I was on an important call at the time which broke off for 5 minutes to allow attendees to respect the silence.

Why would anyone deliberately intend not to respect the 2 minute silence? Thoughts on a postcard please.

Well I was in an office that did observe the 2 minutes, but I went outside because there was a fuss about it - which for me put things on the same level as signing a condolence book for someone you've never met or the beatification of princess Diana. Not comfortable.

"Why would anyone deliberately intend not to respect the 2 minute silence?"

there is a difference between not respecting it and not observing it.

you can respect someone's right to be silent for 2 minutes without having to observe the silence yourself.

if this person deliberately made the disruption then that is disrespectful, but if they simply carried on theri normal work that isn't disrespectful.

Perhaps it wasn't deliberate? This happened to me last year, I was on a long business call in the middle of a really busy day and I just didn't notice the time. I was mortified, but I'm not in a completely open office and it wouldn't have been too intrusive, noone said anything and I didn't either. I was out and about today and did stop (in my car in a car park) but noticed loads of people just carrying on as per usual, so those pictures on the TV of entire shopping centres etc grinding to a halt don't tell the whole story.

YABU

I don't like to be told how I should observe something. I bought my poppy from a wounded veteran this year. I got talking to him and he told me about his experiences. I went away feeling truly in awe of what these people must have been through and had a bit of a lump in my throat.

But that isn't enough, apparently if anyone dares not observe the enforced silence we derserve to be publicly flogged. My expereince with talking to the soldier was much more powerful than sitting in my office being quiet for two minutes and ignoring my phone when it rang while it was in progress. There isn't a tv so I couldn't watch it so it didn't mean alot or feel much to me.

Why would anyone deliberately intend not to respect the 2 minute silence?

See my post. People can observe it and feel respect without being quiet for 2 minutes.

Well altinkum, I do actually agree with you...when I observe the silence I do thi nk of all those who went through hell during the wars. And those that are going through hell in warzones now. Not just the military. I think your gran has the wrong end of the stick if she views it as a 'celebration'. It is certainly not that. And I'm very sorry for your families losses.

I see it as donating to charity - personal and not compulsary. Surely if you dont want to mark the 2 minutes silence then you should carry on as normal, leaving the office to not observe it would have been marking it. The only way to not mark 'the silence' surely is to not BE silent.

I dont see how not being silent effects those that are being silent, your silence is just as valid if there is noise around you.

If it's important to you, you observe the silence yourself. For many people it's just another day and they are getting on with their work, their lives.

I have never heard of a work email asking people to be silent. I wouldn't welcome others' beliefs being forced on me. Glad my workplace is not like that!

yabu very much so.

YANBU.