In this situation what would you have said? Observation of 2 minute silence.

[doughnutty]

Before I start I just want to say that I think it should be but, I'm not evangellical about it. If you choose not to, that's fine, as long as you don't stop others who want to. I work in retail, on mat leave atm, and have often had to serve (silently) customers who ignored it.

So....
I sat down to try to snatch a cuppa and a bacon sarnie in Tesco cafe this morning. DD was due a sleep so I was hoping she wouldn't kick off as it was almost 11am.

There was a tannoy (not easy to hear over the noise of the shop but given the time it seemed obvious to me that it was) informing everyone that the 2 minute silence would take place shortly. Some staff appeared from behind the scenes and stood in the cafe.

As the place quietened, I was aware of a woman sitting at the next table talking softly. I presumed she hadn't heard the announcement or was not observing it for her own reasons. She was asking her husband why the till staff weren't standing when the cafe staff were, and how it was so disrespectful of the event.

I was wondering if I was braver what I would've said. But I can't think what I would've said. I still can't work out her out and I've been thinking about it all day.

Btw, I know some of you will say MYOB but I'm seriously interested in trying to understand her logic.

And just read that one. I'll just shut up.

Sorry OP I meant my last post to hunty - how old was her daughter.

is her daughter I mean!

It annoys me that shops try and impose the 2 minutes silence on their customers. I usually carry on shopping. Standing still for 2 minutes in silence achieves absolutely nothing. If other people want to do it, fine, but don't shush and tut at me when I don't want to.

I feel compassion for service people who have lost their lives, or have life-changing injuries, or are on the front line at the moment. Standing in silence for two minutes is of no benefit for them.

I'm sure this ostentatious remembrance is a recent thing, along with the politicisation of poppy wearing. Twenty years ago it didn't happen.

I agree, do it if you want to but don't impose it on others. It's got very competitive this year.

The point is we remember their sacrifice, hopefully so it doesn't have to happen again and wasn't in vain. It's not about 'benefitting' anyone. It's also not about 'imposing' it on others - if people are observing a silence it's downright bad manners to intrude.

Well it is imposing if you start glaring at people who don't wish to take part. You aren't exactly remembering the dead if you are busy shusshing other people and glaring at anyone who doesn't want to join in.

It has absolutely no effect on it happening again.

In my childhood we had WWI and WWII to remember. The falling poppies on Remembrance Sunday always made me cry.

Has that stopped us going to war again? No.Since then, we have had the Falklands, The Gulf War, Afghanistan, and Iraq. And probably others I've forgotten.

It's not those of us who stand in silence in Tesco who decide. It's the likes of Tony Bliar, who sent us into Iraq although 2 million people marched in the streets of the UK against it.

So please don't think your paltry two minutes silence has any effect on the war mongerers.

Oh and btw I do observe the silence.

In Tesco this morning they announced a two-minute silence at 11. Did they turn off the telly loudly trying to plug Star Wars on Blu Ray at 39.99? Did they, bugger it.

i was an asda at 11 on friday; everyone stood in silence whilst the self-serve til announced "Unexpected item in the bagging area" OVER and OVEr again!

Do those of you who observe the 2 mintues silence stand to attention when you're alone in your own home? Or is it only in public where everyone else can see you?

Good point flapping

I would have done it at home too - but I chose to go to the rememberance service to do it there. I do it because my late nan was in WW1 and 2. WW1 she was an evacuee at 4yo and WW2 an auxillary and went on planes. My brother and cousins are in the forces.

I don't expect others to do it but do expect people to respect others do.

A couple of years ago we had BT engineers doing something at the bottom of the drive. Just before 11:00 I heard a radio blare out and I went to the window to see what was happening. As the radio anounced the 2 minutes silence, the engineers stood to attention round the open manhole they were dealing with and removed their caps. It was very moving and humbling watching them do it.

I would have observed the silence but wouldn't have been bothered if others didn't, either because they're unaware of the tradition or choose not to participate. It is entirely optional, and quite rightly too!

It is entirely optional, and quite rightly too! Exactly

Fuck all. None of my business....seeing as I'm not the boss of the general public! Jeeez.

membershipcard hahaaaaa! Dearie me!

onehandflapping yes, even if I'm alone.

So one hand flapping, you are massively inconvenienced by people taking 2 minutes away from the tawdry commercial world to remember the sacrifices?

Oh dear, how awful for you.

OP reminds me of when my sister was ordained. The priest said all children were welcome, but they needed to be quiet for this particular part of the service. Two older ladies in front of me had a loud stage-whispered conversation about how youngsters shouldn't be at the ceremony because they can't be quiet, while all the children, including a couple of toddlers, were quiet as mice.

DD fainted during the two minute silence at school which caused a bit of disruption I understand. Don't think anyone actually talked till it was over though, just lots of pantomime pointing and "over here" gesturing. It was only afterwards I thought that I should have reminded her not to stand up/still.

No Pendeen. They can, I don't want to.

Yes, I stood alone in my kitchen with tv on BBC 1