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 British Government apologises to Alan Turing

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Verandering
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Join date : 2009-06-11
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyFri Sep 11, 2009 12:35 pm

Quoted from the petitions website:

Prime Minister: 2009 has been a year of deep reflection -- a chance for Britain, as a nation, to commemorate the profound debts we owe to those who came before. A unique combination of anniversaries and events have stirred in us that sense of pride and gratitude which characterise the British experience. Earlier this year I stood with Presidents Sarkozy and Obama to honour the service and the sacrifice of the heroes who stormed the beaches of Normandy 65 years ago. And just last week, we marked the 70 years which have passed since the British government declared its willingness to take up arms against Fascism and declared the outbreak of World War Two. So I am both pleased and proud that, thanks to a coalition of computer scientists, historians and LGBT activists, we have this year a chance to mark and celebrate another contribution to Britain's fight against the darkness of dictatorship; that of code-breaker Alan Turing.

Turing was a quite brilliant mathematician, most famous for his work on breaking the German Enigma codes. It is no exaggeration to say that, without his outstanding contribution, the history of World War Two could well have been very different. He truly was one of those individuals we can point to whose unique contribution helped to turn the tide of war. The debt of gratitude he is owed makes it all the more horrifying, therefore, that he was treated so inhumanely. In 1952, he was convicted of "gross indecency" -- in effect, tried for being gay. His sentence -- and he was faced with the miserable choice of this or prison - was chemical castration by a series of injections of female hormones. He took his own life just two years later.

Thousands of people have come together to demand justice for Alan Turing and recognition of the appalling way he was treated. While Turing was dealt with under the law of the time and we can't put the clock back, his treatment was of course utterly unfair and I am pleased to have the chance to say how deeply sorry I and we all are for what happened to him. Alan and the many thousands of other gay men who were convicted as he was convicted under homophobic laws were treated terribly. Over the years millions more lived in fear of conviction.

I am proud that those days are gone and that in the last 12 years this government has done so much to make life fairer and more equal for our LGBT community. This recognition of Alan's status as one of Britain's most famous victims of homophobia is another step towards equality and long overdue.

But even more than that, Alan deserves recognition for his contribution to humankind. For those of us born after 1945, into a Europe which is united, democratic and at peace, it is hard to imagine that our continent was once the theatre of mankind's darkest hour. It is difficult to believe that in living memory, people could become so consumed by hate -- by anti-Semitism, by homophobia, by xenophobia and other murderous prejudices -- that the gas chambers and crematoria became a piece of the European landscape as surely as the galleries and universities and concert halls which had marked out the European civilisation for hundreds of years. It is thanks to men and women who were totally committed to fighting fascism, people like Alan Turing, that the horrors of the Holocaust and of total war are part of Europe's history and not Europe's present.

So on behalf of the British government, and all those who live freely thanks to Alan's work I am very proud to say: we're sorry, you deserved so much better.

Gordon Brown

If you would like to help preserve Alan Turing's memory for future generations, please donate here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyFri Sep 11, 2009 9:37 pm

This? Is awesome. Does anyone know if any other government has issued an apology for treating an individual poorly for having TEH GAY?
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Chaltab
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Join date : 2009-07-19
Age : 36
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyFri Sep 11, 2009 9:46 pm

Oh sure, they honor the guy now, 55 years after he killed himself.

Better late than never I suppose.
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Penguin
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Join date : 2009-07-18
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 5:43 am

Cool, a bunch of dudes who were kids, if alive at all, when this happened apologize for something they had nothing to do with.

I'm so happy.
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ZoZo
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 6:04 am

Yes! I signed this petition. It's gratifying to see that petitions sometimes work, and I am glad that they apologised for this hideous treatment.
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Verandering
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Join date : 2009-06-04
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 8:16 am

Penguin wrote:
Cool, a bunch of dudes who were kids, if alive at all, when this happened apologize for something they had nothing to do with.

I'm so happy.

Don't let the point fly over your head, noob cutlet.
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Penguin
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Join date : 2009-07-18
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 8:30 am

Verandering wrote:
Penguin wrote:
Cool, a bunch of dudes who were kids, if alive at all, when this happened apologize for something they had nothing to do with.

I'm so happy.

Don't let the point fly over your head, noob cutlet.

...do you know what a "noob" is? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

I get the point, but the point is irrelevant. The man is dead. The people responsible for his treatment are dead. A proper memorial would be of far more value than an apology from people who weren't connected to the wrong (and several have been erected in his honor). And even if you think the apology has value, that still leaves all the other gay people prosecuted for "gross indecency" in the UK who are still owed one; this case sticks out because Turing accomplished something noteworthy before being prosecuted.
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gaijinguy
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 11:39 am

So. . . formal apology? That's it? No money to the estate, perhaps as compensation for the trial and reduced income associated with it?

Man, virtue doesn't get much cheaper than this.
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Verandering
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Join date : 2009-06-04
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 11:47 am

Penguin wrote:
I get the point, but the point is irrelevant. The man is dead. The people responsible for his treatment are dead. A proper memorial would be of far more value than an apology from people who weren't connected to the wrong (and several have been erected in his honor). And even if you think the apology has value, that still leaves all the other gay people prosecuted for "gross indecency" in the UK who are still owed one; this case sticks out because Turing accomplished something noteworthy before being prosecuted.

Dude you're totally right, I see the error of my ways.
If we were never personally involved in something, we should totally just fucking forget about it. Who cares! It wasn't us anyway!
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Bamshalam
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 12:31 pm

Cause that's totally what he said. :/
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Verandering
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 12:33 pm

Bamshalam wrote:
Cause that's totally what he said. :/

Yarrrr
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 12, 2009 1:33 pm

Penguin wrote:
Cool, a bunch of dudes who were kids, if alive at all, when this happened apologize for something they had nothing to do with.

I'm so happy.

Yes, because a gesture of goodwill is totally meaningless:

Spoiler:
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Penguin
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Join date : 2009-07-18
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySun Sep 13, 2009 7:08 am

Verandering wrote:
Penguin wrote:
I get the point, but the point is irrelevant. The man is dead. The people responsible for his treatment are dead. A proper memorial would be of far more value than an apology from people who weren't connected to the wrong (and several have been erected in his honor). And even if you think the apology has value, that still leaves all the other gay people prosecuted for "gross indecency" in the UK who are still owed one; this case sticks out because Turing accomplished something noteworthy before being prosecuted.

Dude you're totally right, I see the error of my ways.
If we were never personally involved in something, we should totally just fucking forget about it. Who cares! It wasn't us anyway!

Forget what I said, I expect to see an apology from you on my desk for the practice of slavery in America by Tuesday.
Chocho wrote:
Yes, because a gesture of goodwill is totally meaningless:

A gesture from someone who refused to aid and fled from the Nazis to people who actively fought against the Nazis makes a lot more sense than this.
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Verandering
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySun Sep 13, 2009 7:42 am

Penguin wrote:
Verandering wrote:
Penguin wrote:
I get the point, but the point is irrelevant. The man is dead. The people responsible for his treatment are dead. A proper memorial would be of far more value than an apology from people who weren't connected to the wrong (and several have been erected in his honor). And even if you think the apology has value, that still leaves all the other gay people prosecuted for "gross indecency" in the UK who are still owed one; this case sticks out because Turing accomplished something noteworthy before being prosecuted.

Dude you're totally right, I see the error of my ways.
If we were never personally involved in something, we should totally just fucking forget about it. Who cares! It wasn't us anyway!

Forget what I said, I expect to see an apology from you on my desk for the practice of slavery in America by Tuesday.

Coming right up!
Which one was your desk again?
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Penguin
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySun Sep 13, 2009 7:51 am

The one under the stairs in the corner of the basement of the office half a block down the street from Jerry's Bait Shop.
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Keith Fraser
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Join date : 2009-06-11
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyWed Sep 16, 2009 4:24 pm

Gordon Brown wrote:
In 1952, he was convicted of "gross indecency" -- in effect, tried for being gay.

I'm waiting now for all the anti-gay fundamentalist denominations to jump up and down protesting that this is not true, and that Jesus would have been down with Turing if he had just kept it in his pants, because being gay is just fine, but actually having sex with another man is TEH EEBULS. Rolling Eyes
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyThu Sep 17, 2009 10:10 am

Keith Fraser wrote:
Gordon Brown wrote:
In 1952, he was convicted of "gross indecency" -- in effect, tried for being gay.

I'm waiting now for all the anti-gay fundamentalist denominations to jump up and down protesting that this is not true, and that Jesus would have been down with Turing if he had just kept it in his pants, because being gay is just fine, but actually having sex with another man is TEH EEBULS. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yes because that has something remotely to do with secular British law in the 1950s.
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gaijinguy
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptyThu Sep 17, 2009 10:12 am

Penguin wrote:
Keith Fraser wrote:
Gordon Brown wrote:
In 1952, he was convicted of "gross indecency" -- in effect, tried for being gay.

I'm waiting now for all the anti-gay fundamentalist denominations to jump up and down protesting that this is not true, and that Jesus would have been down with Turing if he had just kept it in his pants, because being gay is just fine, but actually having sex with another man is TEH EEBULS. [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Yes because that has something remotely to do with secular British law in the 1950s.

Well, England does have an established church, but the government tells them what to think, not vice versa. So yeah. . .
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Keith Fraser
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
PostSubject: Re: British Government apologises to Alan Turing   British Government apologises to Alan Turing EmptySat Sep 19, 2009 12:37 am

[quote="Penguin"]
Keith Fraser wrote:
Yes because that has something remotely to do with secular British law in the 1950s.

Good point. Blush Not that relevance is necessarily important to fundamentalists.
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British Government apologises to Alan Turing Empty
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