If you don’t want to observe two minute silence- don’t be out

[Mokel]

Every Remembrance Sunday and Nov 11th, when I worked at retail, we did a tannoy announcement with 5 min, 2 min before to inform customers that the store will be observing the 2 min silence. Then another to start it.

Every time there were customers who kept talking. Plus one time a woman in her 50s shouted “why can’t anyone serve me some fucking fags?” Everyone just looked at her. Some had the courage to say how disrespectful she was once the silence ended.

If you are unable or refuse to observe the silence at 11am today or tomorrow, please don’t be in a public place.

Just back from our village service held outside.

Why would you take your dog to a service?

One dog whined, barked and jumped about throughout the service and was continually being shushed and told off by it's owner. It also kept eyeballing other dogs and setting them off.

I'm not a dog hater. I own one myself. I left him at home as:
a) I didn't trust him to remain silent throughout
b) I wanted to concentrate on listening to the service, rather than watching him and keeping him occupied
c) it's boring for the dog who would much rather be walking/playing/sniffing instead of standing in silence

Please don't assume a reply when it wasn't given. You think you actually have to point out that different people will have had different experiences, just because I stated that a lot of people of my age, who grew up in the UK, don't really understand what the threat of all out war feels like? I'm well aware of the wars and atrocities which other peoole have experienced, but I don't know what it feels like. I think others also don't know what it feels like and so forget to be thankful for our freedoms.

I choose not to acknowledge it in those ways. I respect those who do.

Entitled dog owners value dogs more than humans, perhaps. 🫣

Hmmm.

My late father was a WW2 veteran and he would have nothing to do with any of the public Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday stuff. Towards the end of his life he had a public facing job and his employers wanted him to wear a poppy so he did. He never stopped us wearing poppies or doing what we felt was right but he found it all too painful to remember or commemorate.

👏👏👏

When I said I wouldn’t expect it I meant I didn’t realise this was a thing (shops stopping service) so would have been surprised, and even more so as I hadn’t realised today was remembrance day until I saw this thread. I wouldn’t ‘do’ anything, I would just continue going about my business as normal and if I had to wait 2 minutes to be served obviously I would do that, but I would have been surprised at needing to do it. I wouldn’t observe the silence personally but wouldn’t interrupt somebody else or complain to the shop, I appreciate it’s the right of a shop to stop service it just seems strange to me that they do that; I’ve never experienced it before the only time I’ve experienced similar was in Thailand where twice a day everybody must stop what they’re doing to stop and stand for the kings anthem which is piped on loudspeakers across the nation. This is a country where you can be arrested for speaking against the king so I guess maybe that kind of public expectation that everybody stop what they’re doing seems performative and like something out of a non-democratic country. I wonder how many businesses and employees following this actually care about the silence; I would assume most are just doing it because they’ve been told to by management or because they feel they need to acknowledge it publicly. I would guess few businesses open today or employees working actually care and that neither do the customers shopping at 11am, most people who truly care would be attending a service, and therefore it seems performative.

I can understand an individual wanting to take some time during today to reflect and remember those fallen in war but to want to do it publicly in a shop whilst working and then have to go straight back to serving customers at 11:02 seems bizarre to me, after reflecting on the horrors of war who would be able to just shake off the sadness and sorrow and go back to facing the public straight away? I would need longer than 2 minutes and I would have thought most people would be the same, that’s why it seems performative - I would bet most people are just spending those 2 minute thinking about what they’re going to cook for tea or the message they’ve been meaning to text a friend/ family member and not actually reflecting on war, because honestly who can truly do that in the middle of a supermarket or similar public place, can do it within 2 minutes and can go back to being fine and cracking on with the day straight after?

Well exactly
I wondered about that comment too Barbara
I was referring to the British army in Ireland, not the other way round.

Maybe we're more respectful where I live? 😆 It's definitely been happening for a while.

I completely agree. Personally I choose to observe the silence at a time later in the day and I explain to customers why they need to wait. Often a lot of disrespect but HQ didn't specify when exactly the silence needed to be observed so I stick to my principles. The roar of the traffic at the M6 toll booth does get me down during the silence however.

The fact that she's already stated that she has the freedom to choose, perhaps.

Only one side is attempting to 'stop' the others action...

I'm neither for nor against the concept of the two-minute silence, but surely the point of it is that there is silence during those specific two minutes? Otherwise each person who wanted to participate could just choose any two minutes to be silent, at their own convenience. So speaking during the two minutes' silence IS stopping others from having it.

That said, of course, it's impossible to eliminate all noise (and not everyone has a "home" to stay in).

Agreed we went out for bruch today and someone walked up to a member of staff right in the middle of it to ask for a straw

"If you are unable or refuse to observe the silence at 11am today or tomorrow, please don’t be in a public place."

No if my disabled son needs me to speak to him at that point I will.

Agreed

Jesus Christ. It's 2 MINUTES.

@Mokel , I entirely agree with you. Sadly so many people are utterly selfish these days and can’t understand and don’t care that their disrespect adversely impacts what is an important act for those of us who have a shred of decency.

As I said, it is quite clear what she meant regardless of the words used.

OK, I was just saying I've never come across it.

So, after the 2 minutes silence...

I was working at a supermarket when I was at uni. Worked 16 hours a week this included 3 out 4 Sundays, Did 2x5 hours and 1 6 hour. We observed the 2 min silence in 2001.

That's not what OP meant and you know it. She meant that if you either desire to show disrespect or do not wish to show respect don't be in a public place. I don't agree with her, but then I have just observed the 2 minutes silence. I shall likely be at home at 11 a.m. tomorrow, so will observe it by default (alone) unless I talk to the dog.
If you don't want to show respect to the men and women who died or were injured during the many wars that the UK (and its predecessors the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and the principality of Wales) has fought then that is your right. Personally, I shall think of the dead of Towton (1461 - 10k dead) as well as the 500 who died in the mess of the latest Afghan war. I will also think of those who had no choice but to be there.
It doesn't matter if the person next to me chats all through it - though they will get some unpleasant looks.

"If you don't want to show respect to the men and women who died or were injured during the many wars that the UK (and its predecessors the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland and the principality of Wales) "

This is news to me. I thought Remembrance Sunday was about the First and Second World Wars and particularly the First with being close to 11 November.