to be stunned by the reaction dh witnessed at the war memorial today

[Northernlurker]

(Sorry this is my second aibu remembrance day thread - I've got a cold, it's making me intolerant)

So dh went with my parents to the church service and wreath laying in a nearby village. I was laid low at home with myself (cold), dd2 (headache) and dd3 (slapped cheek - COVERED in spots) Two or three folks are always organised in yellow jackets to stop the traffic near to the memorial for the two minutes silence. Today this occurred and the driver of the vehicle stopped and SHOUTED 'D'you own the road??' He was politely asked to wait two minutes which he then did. Now fair enough that people could be caught unawares by the presence of 170 people in the village street but wouldn't you think when asked to wait TWO minutes you would just.....well.....wait - not shout? AIBU?

Hurrah! Chocolate! Now you're playing my tune!

It tastes jolly nice.

The soldiers and other forces personnel who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan need medical care, physical rehabilitation, and jobs. Which means money and public support.

Anyone who thinks it is too much fuss or does not know what it is for is a bloody idiot

I am astounded at some of the attitudes on here. 'Too much fuss'?, ignorance and blackadder? (fwiw as a child at school and when Armistice day fell on a Saturday there was always a two minute silence so it's not a new thing) Show some respect and compassion for all those who died for our country and their families. Even if you don't want to mark the occasion at least let the majority that do get on without interference.

This 'if it isn't about me therefore I don't give a shit' culture that is spreading round the country is really getting on my nerves. Get your heads out from up your arses and stop being ignorant twats ffs.

Agree with Birnamwood. In fact I think it's about all who died, not just the British.

@ the defensive answers on here.

Just fucking stop and pay respect. No excuses.

YANBU but if arseholes could fly it'd be a friggin airport here.

Roads are often closed for functions such as marathons or half-marathona. Police are not there to supervise the closures. Permission can be granted to various organisers.

Apart from events like that, I'm sure that many of you have been queuing in traffic only to find roadworks and the traffic being operated by a man with a Stop / Go board although your stop there could well be less than 2 minutes. But so what?

I don't know who you all think you are telling everyone that the way that you want to spend 2 minutes is more important than the way they want to spend it.

I'll use the same phrase I used on the other thread OSTENTATIOUS REMEMBRANCE. And I'll add another one, leeching off other peoples' grief.

This the first year I've not bought a poppy, because, apparently, it is now compulsory.

This is a free country, - and yes, I do get the irony in what I'm saying, and remembrance is a choice.

What else do you all think should be made compulsory? And do you see the similarities there between yourselves and the Taliban?

onehand nice post really compassionate for peoples grief, yes mine is personal not that that should matter. Some people are just scum of the earth.

Wow, some splendidly ignorant posters on this thread. I was unaware that having compassion & respect was either difficult or ostentatious.

Ellen :( very sorry to hear it.

Onehand AFAIC you don't have to keep the silence with one proviso in not keeping the silence you do not interupt or insult those who do. The man refered to in the OP did just that and therefore earns my scorn.

Maybe the man didn't realise why he was beign stopped, who was stopping him, and had forgotten about the 2 mins thing.

So when a person who isn't a policeman or a roadworking person stops his car he (strongly) questions why. When he's told he stops.

OK it's not good to go around yelling at people but the assumption that he knew what was going on when he made his first comment is wrong.

Birnamwood and yellowstone it's for members of the armed services who died, not everyone.

I think that is a bit unreasonable to expect drivers to stop in general, although it sounds like there was a practical reason for stopping traffic in this case. I also think he over reacted by shouting.

I like to personally observe the silence - this year I did it in my car, while driving!

Ellen, I am sorry for your loss, and yes, I feel compassion for you and others who have suffered it.

It doesn't mean I feel I need to make a public display of it.

Do you know what? It never occured to me for a single second that there where people who OBJECTED to Rememberance Sunday until I came to Mumsnet.

It is staggering.

We (as in those organising the 10 minute act of remembrance including a 2 minute silence) closed the road for those 10 minutes

We did not have police doing it, there are not enough if them to go to all the villages. We had informed them.

We delayed about 10 cars in total. Over 700 hundred people were there, 240 then went to the church for the service.

We live in a village of 1200. I think that shows the majority that want to remember and say thank you.

We were joined by some of the men who were in WW2, Afganistan and Irac. One chap was just off to active service so we praid for him

Now tell those men (and the women in other villages) that we can't give up 10 minutes of our time if they go away for months and years on end for us.

If there had been an emergency we would have let them through. A couple turned round, the others just waited.

So OP YANBU

Maybe they should have 2 things - the poppy appeal to raise money for the veterans and armed forces people injured

And a remembrance day to remember everyone who has died as a result of war

Looking at the more recent posts it seems that there is a very strong feeling that remembrance is for the armed services exclusively and to show support for those in current conflicts and I suppose that I can see why that does not sit well with some people

We remember those who have died in conflict anywhere. The inocent, the brave, the frightened familes etc and pray for an end to conflict.
We had a land girl at our service until she sadly died.

The thing is it is now a situation that is affecting all age groups. We are in an army town and I was moved by the numbers of young men in medals yesterday.

Remembrance is not just about those lost in WW1 & 2 it is about the continuing horror that our forces are enduring.

I feel quite sickened by some of the comments on here. Perhaps they would like to come and talk to a little boy who spent yesterday morning at our service sobbing as his Dad is currently in Afganistan - is that OSTENTATIOUS REMEMBRANCE, or to the group of early 20 years olds, morning a colleague.

The least any of us can do is show some respect.

Not according the the Royal British Legion, eaglewings.

Rememberance is definitely about the armed services.

We have nothing to do with the RBL, we are a village church and village community

So all over the country people are doing this in groups for competely different reasons?

Well what the queen and that are up to, and anything to do with the royal british legion, is to do with the armed forced.

If you are remembering everyone, and praying for peace, the personally I think that's wonderful, but it's not officially what should be going on.