Author Topic: VE 75 (Read 4789 times)

andyoxon · « **on:** May 07, 2020, 01:56:11 pm »

So there's the 2 min silence at 11am tomorrow (8th). We had a note through the door about the 2 min silence, but also tea outside your abode at 4pm, and a nationwide sing (we'll meet again) on your doorstep at 9pm... Not sure* about the sing

, but may do socially distant afternoon tea with neighbours...

Doing anything?

* = No

Jaded · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2020, 01:59:30 pm »

Yup, I've filmed our Town Crier doing a Cry, it will be released in the morning. We've got a socially distant wreath laying at 11:00 then a socially distant sing along at the care homes in town.

Will probably have some tea at some point

Johnny Faro · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2020, 02:04:29 pm »

Had no idea about any of this till a couple from up our street posted a note through our door. Will do the silence and tea but not the sing along as people who've just ventured outside will be fleeing back in

Regulator · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2020, 03:36:47 pm »

I'm in two minds.

The Parish Council had arranged a memorial service for Sunday, and two local PCs had arranged things for Friday and Saturday. These have now been cancelled. Our local vicar has recorded a short piece that will be transmitted via the interweb on Sunday.

I am concerned about attempt to hijack VE Day by the right wing - particularly in the government and the media. I will not be involved in street parties, bunting displays or sing alongs.

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2020, 03:49:09 pm »

This image is prevalent on the Web - I just did a Google search for it. VE Day - celebrate the end of WW2. Seriously.
Victory in Europe day? What is that?

This is on many council websites.
http://www.howden-tc.gov.uk/_UserFiles/Images/Stay%20at%20Home%20Street%20Party.jpg

Happy to paste the image correctly if given guidance.

bludger · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2020, 03:54:18 pm »

Don't plan on it really. Obviously I am glad that Nazis got stomped but I really don't have it in me to celebrate a given diary date because war is awful. I don't really empathise with the wider sentiment of this as a party.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32529679

andrewc · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2020, 03:56:50 pm »

Quote from: Regulator on May 07, 2020, 03:36:47 pm

I'm in two minds.

The Parish Council had arranged a memorial service for Sunday, and two local PCs had arranged things for Friday and Saturday. These have now been cancelled. Our local vicar has recorded a short piece that will be transmitted via the interweb on Sunday.

I am concerned about attempt to hijack VE Day by the right wing - particularly in the government and the media. I will not be involved in street parties, bunting displays or sing alongs.

One of the Daily Heil affiliated sites was running a page that said we were celebrating "Victory _Over_Europe...... https://twitter.com/nicktolhurst/status/1257659624871821317?s=20 I checked this myself, it was there. Gone now.

I saw someone this morning saying that the British Legion site had the same thing, but by the time I went to check it had been "corrected".

Hot Flatus · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:08:50 pm »

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

nicknack · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:14:34 pm »

It's a government sponsored distraction.

mrcharly-YHT · « **Reply #9 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:21:15 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on May 07, 2020, 04:08:50 pm

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

+10

andrewc · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:22:46 pm »

https://europa.eu/european-union/about-eu/symbols/europe-day_en 9th May is Europe Day. "Europe Day held on 9 May every year celebrates peace and unity in Europe." A more worthy thing to celebrate.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #11 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:35:45 pm »

Shall we celebrate that the Nazis are coming back stronger than before?

Have seen a few 'adverts' on facebook as victory over Europe which is a strange tone.

Gattopardo · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2020, 04:36:17 pm »

Quote from: Hot Flatus on May 07, 2020, 04:08:50 pm

I find the whole notion utterly bizarre.

What exactly are we celebrating? Why should we celebrate this when the country we collectively vanquished almost outside of living memory is now a close ally? Why do we continue to define our country through deceitful mythology that emboldens a damaging sense of exceptionalism?

No. Fuck it. Not doing it. I'll quietly remember the dead of all sides. I'll leave the vacuous flag waving to the Gammonati.

I agree with you.

chrisbainbridge · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:04:38 pm »

I find all these celebrations of killing distasteful. If it was like the Holocaust day, a remembering of the terrible events and thanksgiving for peace then yes, but triumphalism no.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #14 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:25:32 pm »

It's a complete non event up here as far as I'm aware.

Jaded · « **Reply #15 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:30:06 pm »

Quote from: chrisbainbridge on May 07, 2020, 05:04:38 pm

I find all these celebrations of killing distasteful. If it was like the Holocaust day, a remembering of the terrible events and thanksgiving for peace then yes, but triumphalism no.

Yeah, it's why we are wreath laying. I've not seen a lot of bunting about...

ScumOfTheRoad · « **Reply #16 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:35:04 pm »

Jaded, we will see a LOT of bunting on the BBC News coverage tomorrow. Acres of it.
I predict they will find a village somewhere which is throwing a VE Day street party, and will be broadcasting live from 8am in the morning.
It is easy then to imply that the rest of the country is acting similarly.

Where I live in SE London no indications of bunting or flags. I am about to go out for a walk so will report back if any are spotted.

De Sisti · « **Reply #17 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:36:01 pm »

A house (about 30 yards opposite) on my road has a dirty great big union flag hanging out
of their two front bedroom windows. The family are presumably getting ready.

road-runner · « **Reply #18 on:** May 07, 2020, 05:49:08 pm »

I am not sure it would be wise where I am to be celebrating Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill's achievement given what Stalin did to eastern Europe for the following 50+ years.

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #19 on:** May 07, 2020, 06:15:56 pm »

Quote from: ScumOfTheRoad on May 07, 2020, 05:35:04 pm

Jaded, we will see a LOT of bunting on the BBC News coverage tomorrow. Acres of it.
I predict they will find a village somewhere which is throwing a VE Day street party, and will be broadcasting live from 8am in the morning.
It is easy then to imply that the rest of the country is acting similarly.

Where I live in SE London no indications of bunting or flags. I am about to go out for a walk so will report back if any are spotted.

There's your problem, watching ~~BBC News~~ CCHQ Propaganda

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #20 on:** May 07, 2020, 06:26:48 pm »

I only found out about the singing nonsense last night and about the rest of it from reading this thread. I shall probably do the minute of silence by default, as the chances are I'll be asleep. The rest of it can get tae fuck.

Wowbagger · « **Reply #21 on:** May 07, 2020, 06:35:17 pm »

David Amess has had an online concert organised under his name. I know a few people who are singing in it. Our choir secretary asked if any other choir members wanted to contribute a video of some singing, which I assumed had to be solo, and I volunteered to sing "I am the very model of a prejudiced Etonian". As yet, I am still waiting for a response...

Zipperhead · « **Reply #22 on:** May 07, 2020, 06:38:02 pm »

Last year on my way through I visited the place in Reims where the surrender was signd (on the 7th May 1945). Fittingly it's now an international school.

Ashaman42 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 07, 2020, 06:53:11 pm »

A fair few houses round here have got Union Jack bunting and what not going up.

andyoxon · « **Reply #24 on:** May 07, 2020, 07:02:44 pm »

Just asked my mother if she remembered VE day, aged 9. She said 'not really, but did recollect her father putting a couple of union jacks on canes in the front garden'.