Monday, March 15, 2004

THE DONUT WILL NOW OBSERVE A MINUTE'S SILENCE

Meanwhile, at 11:00 am there was a hastily arranged three minute silence in memory of those killed in the Madrid bombings.

I wanted to observe the silence. However, here there were a few people who continued to burble away on the phone or clatter at the keyboard or even walk around the building. I tried to spend the time reflecting, but was irritated that others showed a lack of respect.

It's true to say that Britain and even busy London is a bit better now at observing silence on Armistice Day, though the official wreath laying has been moved to a Sunday. But, the habit of a national silence (there were several after "9/11") is in danger of becoming overused. And, can anyone explain why it was three minutes? It used to be 2 minutes for Armistice Day for millions lost in war. Others have probably commented that we observed no such moment, minute or nano-second for those massacred in Baghdad, or Jenin, or the thousands in Bhopal killed by Union Carbide, the genocide in Rwanda, Bloody Sunday, Bobby Sands - the list is endless...

Walking back to the office after lunch I even contemplated on the idea of abolishing "a minute's silence" or at least ignoring it, sticking to a few quiet moments by myself each day to think about the horrors that man subjects upon his own kind and what we are to do.

Does that sound too much like prayer?

:: Posted by pete @ 14:12