Armistice Day - email from colleague
Discussion
This email was sent by a colleague yesterday to everyone. What do you think? Does he have a point or is he being pedantic?
----------------------------------------------
As you are all aware xxxxxxx as a company chose to observe Armistice day with a two minute silence last Friday as mark of RESPECT. But not for the first time the moment was spoiled but the constant "tapping" of keyboards from people either continuing with call logging etc or as I noticed, people chatting on IM. Whilst I appreciate not everyone feels the need to take notice of the silence but for those that do it is very annoying to say the least. I happen to find it very offensive that some of us here think that we can ignore a very simple yet meaningful moment by assuming that chatting on IM does not constitute talking. In future I think those that do not wish to RESPECT the silence should take themselves away from the immediate area where most people do..
----------------------------------------------
As you are all aware xxxxxxx as a company chose to observe Armistice day with a two minute silence last Friday as mark of RESPECT. But not for the first time the moment was spoiled but the constant "tapping" of keyboards from people either continuing with call logging etc or as I noticed, people chatting on IM. Whilst I appreciate not everyone feels the need to take notice of the silence but for those that do it is very annoying to say the least. I happen to find it very offensive that some of us here think that we can ignore a very simple yet meaningful moment by assuming that chatting on IM does not constitute talking. In future I think those that do not wish to RESPECT the silence should take themselves away from the immediate area where most people do..
I spent the 2 mins silence stuck in a traffic jam in Sheen, next to a whole load of Harleys who's riders had dismounted to pay respects. Apart from the noise of a few car engines, the place was silent apart from a couple of plonkers on their phones.
The sort of people who would carry on what they are doing at that time would not think differently if it was enforced.
The sort of people who would carry on what they are doing at that time would not think differently if it was enforced.
He's being pedantic - honouring the silence means (IMO) not talking, or making unreasonable noise (radios etc)....you'll never achieve absolute silence in an office anyway. If people choose to carry on working or honour the memory in other ways other than enforced silence, then that's their business.
The bloke sounds like a pedantic to55er in my opinion. The whole purpose of the silence is for personal reflection some people have had absolutely no personal experience of conflict either directly or through anyone they know and therefore simply have nothing to reflect on. Others deliberately choose to ignore it because of their own opinions, and others choose to ignore it because they choose to remember those that have died in conflict in other ways away from the masses. Notice the word "choose" used too many times there? Thats what those people went to war for, to enable the rest of us to make those choices about the ways we live and the freedoms we enjoy.
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats, It's a personal choice and it's the ability to make those choices and not be told what to do by others that many people have given their lives for. I'd happily tell the busybody to get his nose out and mind his own business, lets face it if it really means that much to him he should go off on his own one cold winters morning and pay his respects in private, not try and force his views on others.
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats, It's a personal choice and it's the ability to make those choices and not be told what to do by others that many people have given their lives for. I'd happily tell the busybody to get his nose out and mind his own business, lets face it if it really means that much to him he should go off on his own one cold winters morning and pay his respects in private, not try and force his views on others.
mel said:
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats...
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spend a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom, dignity or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in far off & dangerous places such as Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to gloriously walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats? Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net, say what they want (a freedom that's being gradually eroded) & live ouside of a totalitarian regime? Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
>> Edited by L81 on Tuesday 15th November 16:57
L81 said:
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats...
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spent a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats? Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net? Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
It's the original two-minute silence, and as a result, the one that actually means something and is free of political bias.
If the first and second world wars mean nothing to these people (despite the fact they owe their freedom and probably their life to their victory), then perhaps they'd like to consider the armies still being sent to their deaths against their will by oil-greedy politicians in Iraq. Just because today's soldiers are doing their chosen jobs doesn't mean they agree entirely with 'company policy', and the fact that they die for it makes them worthy of anyone's respect.
L81 said:
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats...
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spend a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom, dignity or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in far off & dangerous places such as Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to gloriously walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats? Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net, say what they want (a freedom that's being gradually eroded) & live ouside of a totalitarian regime? Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
>> Edited by L81 on Tuesday 15th November 16:57
More likely allowing them 2 minutes of respect a year means every gets to wander around guilt-free for the remainder and can comfortably put them out of your mind.
L81 said:
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spent a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats?
Arrr that'll be fighting for freedom then? Freedom of choice, way of living, and lifestyle. Thanks guys but that freedom you fought for and we now enjoy also me means that we should be free from pedantic muppets forcing us to be quiet for 2 minutes.
L81 said:
Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net?
Not just previous generations remember british troops are still giving their lives on a regular basis to ensure the freedom of others from dictators........Hmmmmmmm that'll be the office dictator in the corner telling me to shut up then will it?
L81 said:
Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
Not at all is this an issue, what is an issue is being forced to do it, it should be a personal choice and people should be well within their rights to choose to do it in different ways or even not at all.
L81 said:
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats...
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spend a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom, dignity or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in far off & dangerous places such as Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to gloriously walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats? Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net, say what they want (a freedom that's being gradually eroded) & live ouside of a totalitarian regime? Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
>> Edited by L81 on Tuesday 15th November 16:57
well said that man! Finally, someone with a brain! 
Sadly, my grandfather died in 2001 but I would challenge anyone to have sat with him for even half an hour and not spend at least two minutes in silence thinking about the freedom they enjoy every year.
He was a Bren gunner on D-Day and in NW Europe and lost some family members (ie. his brother) and there was not a day that went by that he didn't think about it and the freedom that his and his comrades' sacrifice brought.
Two measly minutes in your year isn't a big deal. Do what's expected of you for pity's sake. You owe thses people. Big time.
Lets try and stop turning human sacrifice into a thankless and irrelevant task, hmm?
L81 said:
Why the hell should they have the whole "you must show some respect" thing be rammed down their throats...
As a guess, maybe so that they show some respect to those who got the whole "You will be conscripted into the forces, spend a few shitty months training with very little personal freedom, dignity or comforts & then be shipped off to be blown apart/shot/maimed/burnt/tortured/stabbed/beaten to death/starved in far off & dangerous places such as Burma/North Africa/Europe/The Alantic/The Med/the skies of Europe/etc, or be forced to gloriously walk directly towards enemy machine guns by imbecile officers" rammed down their throats? Or maybe it's simply designed to force people to stop what they're doing & think about what the previous generations have sacrificed so that they can whinge on the Net, say what they want (a freedom that's being gradually eroded) & live ouside of a totalitarian regime? Why it's so important is that there are survivors of the world wars (& ones since) who deserve the respect of the civilians who's danger free, soft living is directly attributable to their sacrifices. Lets face it, those old servicemen/women have got sweet FA else in return, so showing them 2 mins respect every year isn't that much of a price to pay, is it?.
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff