What woud you have said?

Perfect opportunity to use the stock reply "I could agree with you but then we'd both be wrong!" followed by tinkly laugh and rapid exit.

Everyone is entitled to have an opinion and it is Orwellian to think we should try to control the thoughts expressed by others. If necessary, debate but do not always think reason will win.
I am a vegetarian and abhor the cruelty/torture that animals waiting to be killed, hearing the distressed cries of others, as they are herded towards their not always humanely carried out death.
Any meat-eater would react with deaf ears too, if I tried to point out they are condoning cruelty and as animals high up in the chain, we should not tolerate it.
On a moral issue, where do our beliefs on the sanctity of life begin? If someone withheld information i.e. child abuse, that meant suffering continued, we would condemn them, but not torture them.
We should respect the right to hold, but not necessarily agree with the beliefs/opinions of others.

Fighting fire with fire - when has that ever worked?

A death stare from Princess Anne will soon cut him down to size.

Jalima I did live in a village until 10 years ago. I barely used the shop as it was a hot-house of gossip, tittle-tattle and spite. I am a Very Organised Person anyway. When I did venture in I bought what was necessary and didn't encourage chat.

Simples.

Many of the other villagers didn't use the shop for the same reason so it was hardly a thriving business until it was sold to a young couple who turned it around.

I can see where the torture approvers are coming from, fighting fire with fire and all that.

But personally on a practical level I don't think torture works. If the person is innocent, nothing will be gained and if the person is the worst sort of ISIS terrorist torture will only give him the attention he desires. He believes his suffering brings him closer to his god.

On a moral level it just can't be defended. It may be in the Old Testament, but where is it in the New? Do any of the main stream religions advocate it? I fear I'd have taken her on!

Torture is wrong – it is that simple. It is also ineffective – so it is doubly, trebly, hugely wrong. Apparently the Prince of Wales has been advised not to raise the issue of climate change. So far as I know, no one has suggested that he shouldn't refer to President Trump's adolescent comment that he believed he could have "nailed" Lady Di.

Might be an opportune moment for the Queen to have another really bad cold. That way Trump will get Prince Charles....Like it or lump it!

A death stare from Princess Anne will soon cut him down to size.

Elrel

he is scared that P Charles will bring up climate change of course. And P Charles is apparently relaxed about not meeting him.

I sometimes come across people with whom I disagree; if it was the village shop owner I would just adopt the 'glazed expression' and pretend my hearing was not up to scratch.
Sorry, but I would not want to drive 12 miles to the next nearest shop. Ignore and she may get the message.

Apparently His Trumpness doesn't want to meet Prince Charles. I didn't realise official visitors got to select who they met. He does, however, want the 'full monty' with plenty of Trump and Circumstance, apparently. Oh dear.

The petition reads: Donald Trump should be allowed to enter the UK in his capacity as head of the US Government, but he should not be invited to make an official State Visit because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen.

I would have signed if the wording had been different - if it had said the state visit had been deplored, rather than seeking to prevent it. Preventing/banning things would bring us down to his level. People are only banned if their presence is not in the public interest. I don't think we're quite there with Trump. Yet.
I suspect that protocol demands that as he is head of State and not just head of US government, it has to be a state visit, but I am willing to be corrected on that.

I can't imagine HM being the least embarrassed.

I would have gone a bit futher than you Luckygirl and explained gently that torture whether of innocent or guilty people, is a contravention of Human Rights. Period.

yes signed it - not because I'm worried about Her Maj, she's more than capable of managing despots, more to ensure the level of concern about his actions is made clear.

An aside- have those of you who wished to signed the petition against Trump having a State visit here. It was at 650,000 a few minutes ago.

'Those people ' run out village shop and are charming!!

Sympathy from me Luckygirl.
As an aside, a couple of years ago, in our village butchers shop, one of the owners was making very unpleasant comments about "our rag headed brethren". We're a fairly white village/suburb with a very Pakistani Muslim community 3 miles down the road near our joint town centre. I kept schtum hoping the discussion would stop but when it looked like really gaining ground I made some comment about finding the discussion unpleasant and racist. I started using the butcher in the next village because of the clear dislike shown towards me by the butcher in our shop after that incident.

Anya if you live in a village you can't walk out of the village shop whatever you think of them

Otherwise you have to be very very organised and never ever run out of milk or bread.

Just ignore her and comment on the potatoes/tomatoes/turnips

I think I'd quite like ours to have an opinion on Donald Trump. It would make a change from the usual grunt as you hand over the money and that's when she's in a good mood.

Needless to say I only go in there when desperate for something.

Yes. indeed we all have, and are entitled to our own opinion. Don't have to agree with everyone, and certainly not someone like this I think. I would have done the same as Anya.

I would have looked her straight in the eye and said "Really?" turned on my heels and walked out the shop.

I didn't bring the subject up, you may be sure!!

Tell me about your village shop lady merlot!

Its always going to be a contentious subject, and no one view is totally right or wrong.

If you go in again, just don't talk about Trump.

Do you really need to ask? People hold differing views on every subject under the sun, doesn't mean we all have to hold them.

I think I would just have said 'I'm sorry, I have to disagree with you' and left it at that.

Crikey! You should meet our village shop lady!!