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2 minutes silence today

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YorkshireBear

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We had two minutes silence during lecture today, but half the lecture theatre decided not to bother and to carry on chatting about their nights out. Am i right to be annoyed about this, i think shows a major lack of respect and decency.
Im not being a grumpy old man am i?
 
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MidnightFlyer

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I agree with you entirely. My teacher at college said that anyone who ignored the silence shouldn't show up to lesson.
 

theblackwatch

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I agree. A couple of people down the office from me were chatting during it (it turned out they genuinely hadn't realised the time) and I still found it rather annoying.
 

SS4

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Yes, you're well within your rights. I was glad to see it was impeccably observed while I was out.
 

Schnellzug

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There was a man in a white Van sitting round the corner from the village green, so I looked at him a bit suspiciously and wondered about reporting him to Neighbourhood Watch, but at 11:03* he got out of the Van and started his strimmer up. I was pleased to see this.
*or thereabouts; the clock on the church is a bit out, but allow two or three minutes either way and you'd be about right

** no, I don't live in a Miss Marple book, but it's a nice peaceful spot that's fairly nearby

** when there's not someone with a Strimmer, at any rate
 

Robinson

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I had a lecture at 11am today; the lecturer indicated the start and finish of the silence, but it didn't stop numerous people from walking in late before it had finished.
 

anthony263

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I noticed 1 bus driver today stopped for 2 minutes at our local bus stop and switched off the engine. Nice to see that and other staff having a few minutes silence
 

deltic

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I have mixed views on this

During the 70s, 80s, and early 90s no-one took any notice of 11 am on 11 Nov - the 2min silence was observed on Remembrance Sunday. Now we have remembrance services on both the Sunday and the 11th itself. We seem to have become more and more obsessed about WW1 and WW2 now that there is virtually no-one left alive who fought in those wars. In London we recently had a huge battle of Britain memorial unveiled.

I believe its right that we have the opportunity to pay our respects to those killed in our armed forces, but werent they fighting for freedom and the right not to be dictated to - which includes the freedom of not having to keep a 2 min silence.
 

SS4

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More to the point I think the 11th (or the day after Remembrance Sunday) ought to be a bank holiday
 

ralphchadkirk

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The troops in WW1 and WW2 were fighting for freedom. The freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of expression and freedom of choice.

If someone does not wish to wear a poppy, or observe the two minutes silence then they have the freedom to make that choice. However, they do not have the freedom to impinge on others who may want to observe the two minutes silence.

All too often we hear of people being shouted at in public for not wearing a poppy. There should be no compulsion to wear one.

People are capable of remembrance without having to wear a symbol showing it.
 

Kernowfem

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As every year I wore my poppy, I observed the two minutes silence. I don't have to. It's not law.

Two minutes silence for many, many lives and brave men and women. It's not a lot to ask for.
 

chris89

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We had two minutes silence during lecture today, but half the lecture theatre decided not to bother and to carry on chatting about their nights out. Am i right to be annoyed about this, i think shows a major lack of respect and decency.
Im not being a grumpy old man am i?

Your fully entitled to be, as i am the same.

I always part-take in the 2 minutes silence & will wear a poppy. When i was in Beavers, Cubs & Scouts i had been the Flag Bearer as well during Remembance services on Sundays.

Also remember all fallen & injuryed Military personal as well, those who don't follow it that is fine by me as long as i do i am fine.

Chris
 

newbie babs

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I was on my own to remember my friends who have died in conflict, members of my family in the 1st and 2nd world war and to give thanks for my two sons who came home alive from Basra.
 

313103

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Today i was a Guard working the 10.35 (2Y41) from Stratford to Clapham Junction. The train was due to leave Gospel Oak at 11.00. As we left Kentish Town West i made an announcement similar to this > Ladies and Gentlemen today is Armistice day at 11.00 i would like for you to join me for a period of silence to remember those who have gave their lives so that we could live in freedom.

The two minute silence was observed by everyone with the exception of those who had headphones on.

At 11.02 and 15 seconds i blew my whistle and we departed. I even had one young lady who said that was very touching and thoughtful. I got many people just aknowledge the fact that i did something as small as that.
 

F40Andy

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surely 2 minutes of peace once a year is not to much to ask for?
Well done Guard, I would have said thanks as well.
 

Class172

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Had a service at school today, along with 2 mins silence.

At the same time my mum was in Birmingham and she said that she was in a shop and everyone was asked to be silent for two minutes, there was these two women who completely ignored this and chatted away; they were then asked by one of the assistants, when they then were quiet, but still walked around without a care.
 

Barrett M95

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1100 at St Pancras this morning: the announcement was made just as Eurostar 9I21 arrived from Bruxelles-Midi. The train stopped dead about 10 to 15 seconds into the silence, but not a single passenger alighted until the 2 minute thank-you announcement had been made, then all 800 odd spilled onto the platform at once.

Given some of the historic battlefields the service travelled through en-route to London, I was pleased to see this.
 

Peter Mugridge

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I noticed 1 bus driver today stopped for 2 minutes at our local bus stop and switched off the engine. Nice to see that and other staff having a few minutes silence

I was on a fast northbound Met Line A stock train and we drew into Wembley Park at 11.00; everyone on the platforms was stood still. Myself and all the other passengers ( that I could see ) on the train stood up.

Well, almost all anyway - two men* carried on chatting in the carriage as if nothing was happening.<(



*Far be it from me to cast any aspersions, but from looking at them I was not at all surprised that they were disrespecting the silence.
 

davo882000

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I always remember being on a bus in Sunderland and the driver pulled over in between stops, turned the engine off stepped out of the cab (standing room only on the bus by the way) asked the whole bus to stand up for 2 minutes silence then at the end said a short prayer and thanked everyone for listening.

Turned out he received a MBE for services to public transport
 

Ivo

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Although I don't like to wear a poppy, I always observe the silence. This year was a bit different though, because er... I slept through it :shock: My alarm was set for 11:05...

Three years ago, myself and two otehrs were in college discussing all manner of things. It must have been about 1055, and I suggested that 1100 was imminent and asked the others if they agreed that a silence was reasonable; of course, they did. Too bad everyone in all the rooms and corridors around us couldn't care less <(
 

Heinz57

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We had it at uni. Someone let off a wopping loud air horn to signal the start and finish - surley they could have chose something else than a wopping airhorn that about made your ears bleed!

I osberved it. I was reading the paper at the time, heard the airhorn and stopped reading for the two minuites. It was quite weird when it was realy loud as normal and then suddenly for two minuites it was complete silence.

What realy anoyed me were the people who carried on going around their business and talking through the silence. That realy anoyed me.

I supose I'm very patriotic that way. I go silent and sometimes even stand up when our anthem comes on after the F1 (Although thats not very often now, its the German one all the time!!) I even go silent during the other countries anthems, you know out of respect like. Don't stand up though.
 

scotsman

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Lothian Buses tweeted earlier that all of their buses on the road would pull over for 2 minutes at 1100
 

causton

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The quietest the Sixth Form common room ever was this morning - our first break is usually 10:50-11:10 but they pushed the time back so the lesson ended at 11:00 - silence for 2 minutes - then break. Nice to see everybody respecting the silence - even the person telling a joke, and the recipients had to wait 2 minutes for the punchline!
 

NIMBUS

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We had a PA announcement at about five minutes to eleven, at work, from the building management office to all of the companies on the various floors of the building. Although I always support the silence, I did think that that was a bit draconian for people who, for whatever reason, did not wish to observe the silence. It would be far better to make one of the larger rooms in the building or the atrium a gathering place for those of us who wish to pay our respects. It's pretty difficult to have a meaningful, respectful silence in an office space, with phones going off across the floor and other people choosing not to observe it.

In the event, I went outside the building and stood on the landscaped forecourt. What surprised me, though, was the number of people wearing poppies that marched in and out of the building, completely ignoring the time!
 

43021HST

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All too often we hear of people being shouted at in public for not wearing a poppy. There should be no compulsion to wear one.

People are capable of remembrance without having to wear a symbol showing it.

I couldnt find anyone selling the poppies anywhere, not even at the local supermarket, then again when I'm at the supermarket I get tunnel vision.
 

WestCoast

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I couldnt find anyone selling the poppies anywhere, not even at the local supermarket, then again when I'm at the supermarket I get tunnel vision.

They were selling them in my local Morrisons (by the tills and the door), although non of the other shops seemed to have them.
 
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