We’re backing Turing pardon
Bletchley Park
ALAN Turing was a lot of things – hero, genius, computer whiz, and a criminally prosecuted homosexual.
While in this day and age we choose to remember him by the former, it’s unfortunate that the latter ‘attribute’ still hangs over his legacy.
An online petition urging the government to clear his name currently boasts more than 30,000 signatures.
And we at the Citizen are throwing our weight behind the campaign to officially pardon Mr Turing and get the last stain on his reputation removed.
Turing was one of the key figures at Bletchley Park during the Second World War and led the team which eventually cracked the Enigma code which many attribute as the turning point in the Second World War.
But after the war, his life began to fall apart.
In 1952, Turing was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ with another man, punished by chemical castration, before he committed suicide two years later, aged just 41.
Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown formally apologised to Turing’s family in 2009, saying “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.”
And two weeks ago, Justice Minister Lord McNally echoed the former PM’s sentiments, but also said the Government was powerless to pass a pardon.
New Bletchley Park Trust chief executive Iain Standen declined to comment on the campaign to clear Alan Turing’s name.
But he added: “Alan Turing was a brilliant mind but unfortunately circumstances at the time mean he was taken from us early.
“Just imagine what might have been had he lived a full life and put that mind to other projects.”
> To sign the online petition, click here
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
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Scrumptious
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 07:00 PMEven if I agreed with your point, doesn't change in society have to start somewhere, with key issues about real people? If Turing had been a nobody like you or me there would be no petition. Shame, I admit, but there you are; society only changes very slowly, incrementally.
jeffkwells
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 11:18 AMI think you've validated my point. The 'therefore' in your - "'we pardon this man because he was a great man and therefore admit what happened to him was wrong" is precisely what I object to. It clearly links an admission of injustice by the state to the fact of Turing being a great man. No greatness, no admission.
Scrumptious
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 07:19 PMI don't agree that it would mean "we pardon this man because he was a great man and therefore forgive his trangressions" I think it would say "we pardon this man because he was a great man and therefore we admit what happened to him was wrong". The person who created the petition adds: "It may act as an apology to many of the other gay men, not as well known as Alan Turing, who were subjected to these laws." I think that probably covers it.
jeffkwells
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 06:53 PMAlan Turing is a personal hero of mine who was one of the greatest scientists of the 20th century. His contribution to the development of computers and IT is difficult to overestimate. If that was not enough his war work at Bletchley Park saved countless lives and appreciably shortened the war. He was abominably, unforgivably, treated after the war. But I believe he should be pardoned only if every other homosexual who has ever been punished by the state for their sexuality is also pardoned. Otherwise the clear message would be that "we pardon this man because he was a great man and therefore forgive his trangressions"'. But there is nothing to forgive, Like every other gay person he was cruelly oppressed just for his sexuality. The state should accept and admit this openly. That is the only valid reason for pardoning him.
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