Signs In Shops In England

Samizdata.net ^ | 09/11/02 | Perry de Havilland

[Gumlegs]

Pubs, ladies fashion stores, restaurants, banks, cafes, mobile phone stores, boutiques, gift shops...

If you are looking for the real England, you will not find it in the pages of the Guardian, but rather on the high streets and in the shop windows.

I have just got back from lunch and what I saw on the King's Road in Chelsea, here in London, amazed me. There is no law requiring it, no government departments 'encouraging' it loudly, yet shop after shop are displaying signs saying words to the effects of "At 1:46 pm to day, we will be observing two minutes silence in remembrance of the atrocities on September 11^th of last year in the United States." Others are expressing memorial sentiments, still others just displaying small American flags. No doubt these signs will all be gone by this evening, but they are there now.

Some signs are hand written by shop managers, others were clearly printed by a head office... but the signs are there and they come not from above, passed down from the salons of the chattering classes, but from below, from the true heart of England.

There is indeed an Anglosphere and it is very, very real.

[rockfish59]

And to those who are about to die!
(You in on this, Blair?

[Alamo-Girl]

Buuump!

[Gumlegs]

Never forget.

[I_be_tc]

MnM, you didn't warn me that this was going to be emotional, now I have running mascara at work.

Thanks for the ping. It is so heartwarming to know so many really do feel our pain.

TC

[Illbay]

The British are our good Allies.....our BEST Allies!

Uh-huh.

Well, maybe not ALL of them.

BBC chief apologises for terror debate

The BBC should be proud of 'Question Time', not apologetic

Britain: BBC kow-tows to right-wing calls for censorship

Last but not least, a nice little bon mot from our sweet little Libertine friends:

Make That Never Well-Done

[RonDog]

I have just got back from lunch and what I saw on the King's Road in Chelsea, here in London, amazed me.
There is no law requiring it, no government departments 'encouraging' it loudly, yet shop after shop are displaying signs saying words to the effects of "At 1:46 pm to day, we will be observing two minutes silence in remembrance of the atrocities on September 11th of last year in the United States."
Others are expressing memorial sentiments, still others just displaying small American flags. No doubt these signs will all be gone by this evening, but they are there now...

See also, from LAST year:

CHANGING OF THE GUARD HONOURS DEAD (IN HONOUR OF OUR ALLY)
ITN ^ | September 13, 2001 | ITN
Posted on 09/13/2001 11:54 AM Pacific by MadIvan

A special Changing of the Guard ceremony has taken place at Buckingham Palace to honour those killed in the terrorist outrage in America.

In an unprecedented move, the military band played the American national anthem first. When they finished a large and emotional crowd burst into applause...

more

Thank God for our TRUE friends, the Brits!

The American national anthem was played
at the altered Changing of the Guard at the suggestion of the Queen

[reformed_dem]

bump

[Eva]

Thanks, it good to know that what read in the press does not present a true picture of the sentiments of the people abroad.

[kassie]

Thanks for posting these.

[Kevin Curry]

Thank you for posting this.

[Kevin Curry]

Thank you for posting this.

[KineticKitty]

Thank You, today we are trying to keep a low profile in observing this day in our own way, at home. This was very nice and a positive reminder we can all appreciate.

[Landru]

Seems I remember this piece (you've posted) being spoken by Basil Rathbone at the end of the old B/W WWII thriller, "Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Weapon."

Was a very patriotic statement made by Holmes (BRathbone) at the end of that film; even if it was England. {g}

Nothing like having the the Nazis around to threaten people's hides, to cause 'em to draw closer together for a "common cause."

...oh how the times have changed.

[general_re]

Seems I remember this piece (you've posted) being spoken by Basil Rathbone...

Hmmmm. Perhaps we ought to tip our hats to the author of that little piece also ;)

[general_re]

Pilger-Fisk-Montboit antedote ping.

Partly why I despise them so - by their willful stupidity and spineless simpering, they slander some of the finest people on the face of this earth....

AND did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold:
Bring me my arrows of desire:
Bring me my spear: O clouds unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire.

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land...

- William Blake

[aculeus]

.

Always remember.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping ppaul

[Orual]

Amazing photo. Takes my breath away.

[Pyro7480]

BUMP!!!!