Is it disrespectful to release fireworks on Remembrance Day?

[TheOriginalEmu]

A bit of an argument on my local Facebook page, a former soldier posted a couple of days ago that it would be nice if people could not set off fireworks today in respect of Remembrance Day.
Someone did set off a couple as they said it was their grandfathers birthday who passed away this year, and it was a way to mark the occasion. Cue a ton of posts calling the person setting them off a moron and rude and disrespectful etc etc

Now, I’m no fan of fireworks, the noise terrifies my autistic child, it upsets my dog a fair bit and I don’t at all understand why they need to be so bloody loud when they don’t need to be.

However, I don’t understand what is inherently disrespectful about fireworks on Remembrance Day? Is this a thing that people generally observe that I’ve somehow not noticed in 45 years on the planet? Or is this just something one person thinks shouldn’t happen and all these other people have jumped on the bandwagon?

Do you think it’s disrespectful today?

@nocoolnamesleft

It would seem to be a good day not to go out of your way to trigger the PTSD of veterans, who are probably mourning comrades.

This is what I would assume too. Noises and lights that are reminiscent of gunfire and flares. Knowing people who have returned from active duty, fireworks night can be awful and so letting them off on 11/11 feels thoughtless and yes disrespectful.

It benefits the politicians who like to look solemn and lay a wreath while doing zero to help the current armed forces where needed, or to look after those who need it due to being in armed forces.

It also is about buying poppies etc charity. Passing the buck. Look I've donated! Obv leaving these men and women to be helped by charity because harmed by being in armed forces is... The right thing to do.

Why the gun salutes if a no-no?

I expect that's somehow different...

@nocoolnamesleft

It would seem to be a good day not to go out of your way to trigger the PTSD of veterans, who are probably mourning comrades.

This was my first thought. Perhaps not a great idea to do something that would trigger their PTSD on a day that is to celebrate them.

They are saying the same thing in my local Facebook too .... @TheOriginalEmu are you in East Sussex?

@Rainbowsew

Marking 11am on 11/11 is not a recent thing, it happened from 1919 onwards. It had always been marked in my memory in addition to Remembrance Sunday.

This is true.

Also, marking the two minute’s silence has always been in place. In school in the sixties we marked it and people, cars and buses etc would actually stop and pay their respects.

It was during the 70’s when people seemed to not observe so much and really, only in the lead up to the centenary and onwards have so many more people realised its importance.

Yy it definitely ramped up from the late 90s onwards. Blair had his own reasons for pushing that of course but it seems to have taken on a life of its own since then. People are 'lest we forget'-ing all over the damn shop these days. Even though no one can personally remember the actual Armistice now, and precious few can remember WWII. But still we're all desperately saying we remember something we blatantly can't.

The Queen must get so fucked off with this carousel of politicians with their best suits and their best sadfaces on.

@Judith0000

The loud bangs of fireworks can trigger veterans who are living with PTSD. This is the reason some people find fireworks disrespectful on remembrance day.

Exactly this. My schoolfriend served in the gulf. The sound of fireworks triggers his ptsd every year.

I should think The Queen feels fucked off with most politicians most of the time but yeah I can't imagine how she controls herself when the likes of Johnson pitch up talking about sad deaths ffs.

Sorry to keep mentioning but what about the gun salutes?

Do they set off a lot of fireworks in Iraq then? What do they go in for? I bet they don't do Roman Candles. Maybe Catherine Wheels?

I think the gun salutes don't count because it's a different kind of noise.

Mind, a firework is a completely different kind of noise from a bloody bomb too.

@CheeseMmmm

Sorry to keep mentioning but what about the gun salutes?

Presumably anyone with PTSD/issues with that sort of thing wouldn't choose to go to the ceremonies where they happen, whereas unexpected fireworks are harder to avoid

Tbh honest I thonk I found that they seem to have made 11/11 a singles discount shopping day more detracting and offensive to the meaning of the day.

Go ahead with fireworks all you want, like a pp said they do gun salutes and they are more closely aligned to war 🤷‍♀️

Good point re different sound

Bombs sound totally different to fireworks.

And there's loads of other things which make you jump. Make me jump anyway.

I thought the answer would be the guns are somehow different! Even said so earlier!

What's a singles discount shopping day?

Or maybe PTSD is a complex and multi faceted condition which, outside of Hollywood movies and Facebook posts, does not generally involve hiding under chairs and gibbering whenever one hears a bang of some kind or another.

@CheeseMmmm

What's a singles discount shopping day?

I've been bombarded with emails from companies and social media posts this year advertising singles shopping day. Because its the 11th of the 11th.

Seems just another day introduced to encourage shopping pre Christmas. Asos had a 20% sale on, so did lots of the other line clothes stores, and endless other stores.

Its the first year I've heard of it. But honestly the first thing I thought was oh wow could they have not just left today as remberance day 🤷‍♀️

Again it seems more disrespectful than lighting some fireworks. I mean, I won't loose sleep over it, but it seems unnecessary

Spacerader thanks never heard of it!

Me neither and now I've missed it. That's what happens when you stand around silently thinking about war all day - you snooze, you lose. Let that be a lesson.

@HeddaGarbled

Someone did set off a couple as they said it was their grandfathers birthday who passed away this year, and it was a way to mark the occasion

Is this a thing that people generally observe that I’ve somehow not noticed in 45 years on the planet

I’ve been on this planet more than 45 years and I’ve never know anyone set off fireworks to mark their dead grandfather’s birthday nor set off fireworks on Armistice Day nor Remembrance Sunday.

Random fireworking is definitely a recent phenomenon. Bonfire night (plus a few days around it) and New Year’s Eve has been the norm.

I find the idea of marking your dead grandfather’s birthday by setting off fireworks as offensively attention seeking. Did they all stand around mourning grandad amongst the bangs and flashes. What next? Fireworks at funerals? I expect it was for the social media accounts accompanied by some sentimental cliches.

Well yes. I agree that it’s not what most people do to mark bithdays of lost loved ones, but it’s not too far removed form the releasing of lanterns which people do (and which environmentally is quite terrible, so not ideal either) and maybe that’s how her family do it, I don’t know her so I can’t speak to her reasons why.

@Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk

They are saying the same thing in my local Facebook too .... *@TheOriginalEmu* are you in East Sussex?

No, I’m not! Interesting it’s happening somewhere else as well! I wonder if it’s become a topic of discussion among veterans recently?