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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

What fresh hell is this? National VE day

842 replies

wetpants · 03/05/2020 10:07

This has popped up on my local FB page, villagers are all up for it too. Apparently it’s a nationwide incentive??

The thing is, most front gardens are tiny or non existent here. There’s no way you could be 2m away from your next door. Also these villagers who are up for this are the same people who few weeks ago cried about a lone bloke sitting on a crass verge, well away from any pedestrians. How is this any different?

I’m not British (have lived here a long time though) so maybe I’m just not getting the fervent VE day misty eyeness Confused

And don’t get me started on 9pm nationwide singalong Shock WHO comes up with these things???

What fresh hell is this? National VE day
OP posts:
Alsohuman · 08/05/2020 22:44

I just don't buy into the jingoistic, flag waving "we beat the Germans" wankfest

It’s got nothing to do with beating the Germans and everything to do with defeating fascism, liberating concentration camps and freedom for across the world. The disrespect for our ancestors is mind blowing.

JediJim · 08/05/2020 23:02

Alsohuman -I agree with you.

We beat the Germans Flag waving wankfest.... how disrespectful
It wasn’t every German that the allies were fighting, it was the Nazi regime. Not everyone in Germany agreed with what they did.
It’s a celebration about liberating Europe from an evil empire. Why not go and tell the war time generation what you think?
Maybe count yourself lucky that you didn’t have to live on rations and live a life not knowing if your home would be bombed.

Paintingtheroseswhite · 08/05/2020 23:02

I absolutely know what VE Day is about, it is about recognising and remembering the evils of the war and the sacrifices made in a contemplative and respectful way and I certainly will not take lectures from you on respect for anyone.

I simply don't believe flag waving jingoism, bunting and the national obsession with WW2 serve that purpose.

JediJim · 08/05/2020 23:03

Paintingtheroseswhite- you astound me !

JediJim · 08/05/2020 23:04

What would you suggest we do then Paintingtherosesnwhite? Serious question btw.

Alsohuman · 08/05/2020 23:07

I absolutely know what VE Day is about

Then why describe it as a jingoistic wankfest? If that isn’t disrespectful I’d like to know what is.

JediJim · 08/05/2020 23:11

Paintingtheroseswhite- you disagree with VE Day. Fine. You think it glorifies war. Ok.
So you stay at home and do what you want to do, while others celebrate a key date in history.

kateybeth79 · 08/05/2020 23:21

Lovely day /evening had by all on our street. Luckily we're all good friends and were happy to spend this time together.

Paintingtheroseswhite · 08/05/2020 23:38

I've never said I disagree with marking VE Day, I disagree with the way it has been marked.

I was perfectly happy to observe the silence, I think the ringing of church bells is lovely and very appropriate. I think an address from the Queen is absolutely right.

What I don't think think it is is a massive excuse for a party. The party was held on the 8th May 1945 and deservedly so when a population brought to its knees by 6 years of brutal war had every right to come out and celebrate.

3 generations later, for the people who never went through the war, it's not a 'celebration', it's not a party and it is certainly not there to play in to a flag waving national obsession with WW2 and Britain above all.

DramaDromedary · 08/05/2020 23:43

painting I completely agree with you. I also resent (and just started a thread on) the fact that BJ and his band of nothing-but-jingoism Brexiteers appear to be trying to persuade us that we’ve ALWAYS celebrated VE Day, when I don’t recall it at all.

Lifeisgenerallyfun · 09/05/2020 00:03

That is not what the VE celebrations are about. Just don’t trip over your own wokefulness as you leave and close the door.

runrunrunrunt · 09/05/2020 00:18

It's a fucking shambles. Watch as the. Numbers spike in 7-14 days. Encouraged to celebrate it, casual suggestions that lockdown will be eased on Monday, next thing you know street parties everywhere.

It's criminal. And I'm genuinely surprised at how stupid people are.

Willyoujustbequiet · 09/05/2020 02:18

Some disrespectful replies on this thread.

It was a wonderful day. My whole village got involved. Houses with bunting and flags. Afternoon tea in front gardens and a sing a long/knees up.

Felt proud to be British once again. It was needed after this shitshow that our Government has put on and made us the laughing stock.

Willyoujustbequiet · 09/05/2020 02:19

All celebrations were socially distant.

JustAnotherPoster00 · 09/05/2020 05:20

Some disrespectful replies on this thread.

Disrespectful to who?

JudyCoolibar · 09/05/2020 06:14

All celebrations were socially distant.

Not in my road, they weren't. I fear a spike in C19 infections in two weeks' time.

ArrabellaAM · 09/05/2020 06:24

Some complete cock was singing karaoke in their front garden with a massive sound system set up from 8pm - 11pm last night. Angry and the baby has decided that even though they had a week of waking around 7 this morning they would wake at 5 Sad

Nquartz · 09/05/2020 06:26

JudyCoolibar i was thinking the same.

A few houses out on our cul de sac in our own families chatting from a distance apart from three generations of one family all.say together who don't live togther, but venture a bit further & there's loads of groups sat barely 2 feet apart, kids playing together (one girl i know is in the shielded group was playing with an unrelated boy), people drinking. Even saw some kind of conga line going round the block not touching but definitely no where near 2 metres apart.

There'll be some sore heads round here today. Luckily it was all quiet at 9pm though!

brokenstone · 09/05/2020 06:33

It is nice to know that some streets were able to social distance. This was not the case on mine though. Perhaps that was down to the mixed messages in the media about lockdown along with the promotion of street parties, it could easily have confused some.

I also wondered yesterday how many people that lived through the war and remembered and celebrated VE Day and their freedoms were now sat in a care home ravaged with Coronavirus....

AllianceOfCorcles · 09/05/2020 06:33

All celebrations were socially distant

Not here they weren’t bad enough all the neighbourhood children playing together (from 6 households at least) but street full of visitors (friends of neighbours) essential travel obviously.
We were asked to go but I knew my 2 young dc wouldn’t understand why it’s ok for all their friends to play together but not them- frankly I don’t understand it myself.
There will be a spike in cases after yesterday.

Sirzy · 09/05/2020 07:08

There is nothing at all disrespectful of thinking that commemorating the end of the War shouldn’t put lives at risk which is exactly what a lot of yesterday’s celebrations will have done.

Oblomov20 · 09/05/2020 07:17

We sat as a family and watched the 1pm programme, including Churchill speech. It was good. Shane the Red Arrows one of the blue flames was muted.

Loads of pictures on FB of VE Day parties. Social distancing, ie being 2 metres apart, was not adhered to, so that's not good.

returnofthemollymawks · 09/05/2020 07:47

And I'm genuinely surprised at how stupid people are

I'm not. I used to be but now I realise more and more that the average person comes out with many stupid ideas which would put a primary school kid to shame.

GeraltOfRivia · 09/05/2020 07:53

Which fil is it that has the quote 'a person is clever, people are stupid, panicky animals' or something along those lines.

Our 4pm picnic was beautifully socially distanced. We went in around 6pm. After that it descended and at 9pm the music started. When I peeped out at 10pm everyone still out there was dancing together. Ridiculous.

Fluffycloudland77 · 09/05/2020 08:23

I agree with the spike in c-19 in two weeks time. A cynic would say it was an experiment.