Just watching the BBC News, which had wonderful coverage of today’s silent vigil for the victims of last week’s bombings.

It was truly breathtaking to see thousands of Londoners stopped in their tracks, perfectly still and silent for two minutes – a most moving scene, to say the least. It reminds me of being in London on Remembrance Day on November 11, 2001, when all of the city (including all state and private radio and TV stations) fell silent at noon to remember the dead from World Wars I and II, as well as other wars. World War I ended on November 11, 1918 – thus the chosen date.

I’d be hard pressed to remember any time that people in the U.S. could stay silent for two minutes at a stretch.