Turing pardoned.

[harrry]

http://www.smh.com.au/world/alan-turing-who-broke-engima-code-in-world-war-ii-pardoned-by-queen-over-conviction-for-homosexuality-20131224-2zvfw.html

Britain has granted a posthumous pardon to Alan Turing, the World War II code-breaking hero who killed himself after he was convicted of the then crime of homosexuality.

Turing is often hailed as a father of modern computing and he played a pivotal role in breaking Germany's Enigma code, an effort that some historians say brought an early end to World War II.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/alan-turing-who-broke-engima-code-in-world-war-ii-pardoned-by-queen-over-conviction-for-homosexuality-20131224-2zvfw.html#ixzz2oMdYeMjS

Being straight I was not sure whether to post this in Computers or in this forum but I think it will get more interest here.

Personally I cannot see why the queen did not just pardon all of the people convicted under that law as what someone does is their business.

[Suradit69]

I just saw that on the BBC. I knew about him in a very general sense, but never realized that he was gay or that he was "chemically castrated" and prohibited from further government work because he was gay.

Amazingly barbaric treatment of anyone, but especially someone who had so much to offer and had done so much in his short life.

LONDON (AP) — His code breaking prowess helped the Allies outfox the Nazis, his theories laid the foundation for the computer age, and his work on artificial intelligence still informs the debate over whether machines can think.

But Alan Turing was gay, and 1950s Britain punished the mathematician's sexuality with a criminal conviction, intrusive surveillance and hormone treatment meant to extinguish his sex drive.

Now, nearly half a century after the war hero's suicide, Queen Elizabeth II has finally granted Turing a pardon.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/12/23/united-kingdom-alan-turing-pardon/4182875/

While I agree that on a legal basis, issuing a pardon is probably the right thing to do, it sounds ridiculous to say that it has been decided to pardon someone for the crime of simply being who he was.

But then given what's still happening in the world particularly but not only in places like Russia and India, I guess such ridiculous thinking is not just a thing of the past.

"It could be argued and it has been argued that he shortened the war, and that possibly without him the Allies might not have won the war," said David Leavitt, the author of a book on Turing's life and work. "That's highly speculative, but I don't think his contribution can be underestimated. It was immense."

S. Barry Cooper, a University of Leeds mathematician who has written about Turing's work, said future generations would struggle to understand the code breaker's treatment.

"You take one of your greatest scientists, and you invade his body with hormones," he said in a telephone interview. "It was a national failure."

Depressed and angry, Turing committed suicide in 1954.

Truly disgraceful.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Suradit69

[Scott]

Thanks for posting it here. A reminder of how things were and how they still are in some places.

[isanbirder]

He was in the forefront of those who won the war for us.

He should have been pardoned long ago; it is our national shame that he wasn't.

[sustento]

Are they now going to pardon all the others who were convicted under the same law or do you have to be famous to be pardoned?

[Suradit69]

Are they now going to pardon all the others who were convicted under the same law or do you have to be famous to be pardoned?

Yes, it should have been a blanket pardon along with an apology for the absurd use of government terror against citizens.

[sustento]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/24/alan-turing-pardon-wrong-gay-men

[Suradit69]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/24/alan-turing-pardon-wrong-gay-men

Thanks for posting that. Very well stated commentary.

Just to highlight the central idea of the article, for those who may not bother to follow the link:

In announcing the pardon today, the justice secretary, Chris Grayling, said: "A pardon from the Queen is a fitting tribute to an exceptional man." Turing was certainly an exceptional man but the tribute could not be less fitting. It says that the British state is prepared to forgive historical homosexual acts providing they were performed by a national hero, academic giant or world-changing innovator. This is the polar opposite of the correct message. Turing should be forgiven not because he was a modern legend, but because he did absolutely nothing wrong. The only wrong was the venality of the law. It was wrong when it was used against Oscar Wilde, it was wrong when it was used against Turing and it was wrong when it was used against an estimated 75,000 other men, whether they were famous playwrights and scientists or squaddies, plumbers or office clerks. Each of those men was just as unfairly persecuted, and many suffered similarly awful fates. To single out Turing is to say these men are less deserving of justice because they were somehow less exceptional. That cannot be right.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Suradit69

[anon8]

Thanks for posting that. Very well stated commentary.

Just to highlight the central idea of the article, for those who may not bother to follow the link:

..

The only wrong was the venality of the law[/b][/u]. It was wrong when it was used against Oscar Wilde, it was wrong when it was used against Turing and it was wrong when it was used against an estimated 75,000 other men, whether they were famous playwrights and scientists or squaddies, plumbers or office clerks. Each of those men was just as unfairly persecuted, and many suffered similarly awful fates. To single out Turing is to say these men are less deserving of justice because they were somehow less exceptional. That cannot be right.

Beautifully said by The Guardian.

UKs Justice minister should have said all that, when releasing the statement. It is very, very nice to read how The Guardian put it.

Seems The Guardian editors are brave and smart.

It was The Guardian, that published the nsa whistler blower Edward Snowdens revelelations. Glenn Greenwald, independant American journalist wrote a column regularly for Guardian, and in his coumn all came to light.

With the corporate media now, it is nice there are still some brave newspapers and people who work there.

[drx13]

How many know that Apple's Logo is a tribute to Alan Turing...the apple with a bite out ?

[Jingthing]

Turing pardoned is good news. But why not pardon ALL British people convicted of those unjust anti-homosexuality laws? I would agree they ALL should have been pardoned.

What about the almost 50,000 other men in the United Kingdom convicted in the same way? Do you have to be one of the highest-performing people of the century to merit a pardon under an immoral law that has been repudiated?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/12/24/alan_turing_codebreaker_recieves_royal_pardon_for_homosexuality_conviction.html

[b19bry]

Turing pardoned is good news. But why not pardon ALL British people convicted of those unjust anti-homosexuality laws? I would agree they ALL should have been pardoned.

What about the almost 50,000 other men in the United Kingdom convicted in the same way? Do you have to be one of the highest-performing people of the century to merit a pardon under an immoral law that has been repudiated?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/12/24/alan_turing_codebreaker_recieves_royal_pardon_for_homosexuality_conviction.html

Yeah and then pardon all those hung for stealing sheep, loaves of bread etc etc the list goes on.

[Jingthing]

Turing pardoned is good news. But why not pardon ALL British people convicted of those unjust anti-homosexuality laws? I would agree they ALL should have been pardoned.

What about the almost 50,000 other men in the United Kingdom convicted in the same way? Do you have to be one of the highest-performing people of the century to merit a pardon under an immoral law that has been repudiated?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/12/24/alan_turing_codebreaker_recieves_royal_pardon_for_homosexuality_conviction.html

Yeah and then pardon all those hung for stealing sheep, loaves of bread etc etc the list goes on.

Bad analogy. Stealing is wrong. Homosexuality is not wrong. Pardoning all those unjustly convicted of homosexuality would be like the Vatican apologizing for the Spanish Inquisition which they have done.

Anyway, this mass pardon won't happen. That has already been announced.

Edited December 25, 2013 by Jingthing

[b19bry]

Turing pardoned is good news. But why not pardon ALL British people convicted of those unjust anti-homosexuality laws? I would agree they ALL should have been pardoned.

What about the almost 50,000 other men in the United Kingdom convicted in the same way? Do you have to be one of the highest-performing people of the century to merit a pardon under an immoral law that has been repudiated?

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2013/12/24/alan_turing_codebreaker_recieves_royal_pardon_for_homosexuality_conviction.html

Yeah and then pardon all those hung for stealing sheep, loaves of bread etc etc the list goes on.

Bad analogy. Stealing is wrong. Homosexuality is not wrong. Pardoning all those unjustly convicted of homosexuality would be like the Vatican apologizing for the Spanish Inquisition which they have done.

Anyway, this mass pardon won't happen. That has already been announced.

OK, bad analogy, fact is Turing's case has a shadow over it that should have precluded a pardon. History has many victims by today's standards, not sure Turing fits that bill.

[Jingthing]

OK, bad analogy, fact is Turing's case has a shadow over it that should have precluded a pardon. History has many victims by today's standards, not sure Turing fits that bill.

Thanks for sharing your minority opinion. Turing made an AMAZING contribution to all humanity in both his computer science work and his contribution to beating the Nazis. If Turing doesn't fit the bill, not sure who would!

Edited December 25, 2013 by Jingthing

[Scott]

A large number of off-topic posts have been deleted.

A post which violates Fair Use policy and the replies have been removed, along with inflammatory posts.

[Jingthing]

Thinking about Turing and the incredible important contributions he made, it occurs to me what happened to him could be used as rationale for both pro and anti gay civil rights agendas.

Pro: Societies that value all their citizens, regardless of diversity issues, free up the exceptional individuals of all kinds to make potential contributions that benefit the greater societies. Imagine if the British government had arrested Turing before he had the chance to do the historic work that he did. We certainly wouldn't be thinking about him now!

Con: More controversial, of course. Social oppression of minority groups SOMETIMES acts as a stimulus for exceptional CREATIVITY. This isn't an original idea. In the case of Turing, imagine if his world had been like today's in regards to gay civil rights. Who knows -- maybe he would have directed his energies more towards saunas and gayromeo than the work that he did do?

Just a thought. Obviously not arguing in favor of oppression.

Edited December 26, 2013 by Jingthing

[anon8]

Yeah and then pardon all those hung for stealing sheep, loaves of bread etc etc the list goes on.

No no,

Let me clarify this for you,

Stealing a sheep is theft, it is a criminal offence.

Stealing bread is theft, it is a criminal offence.

Why should thieves be pardoned?

And what is this list, that you say goes on, please?

Sent from my C6802 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[rebbu]

http://www.polarimagazine.com/features/turing-centenary-trial-alan-turing-homosexual-conduct/

[anon8]

http://www.polarimagazine.com/features/turing-centenary-trial-alan-turing-homosexual-conduct/

Thank you very much for that link!

My heart aches, just trying to imagine how this man was suffering towards the end of his life. It is unimaginable. Such cruelty cant be comprehanded. It makes me hate this whole, cruel world.

[beautifulthailand99]

It takes a queen to pardon a queen !

[alyx]

How many know that Apple's Logo is a tribute to Alan Turing...the apple with a bite out ?

This is an Urban Legend, I'm afraid.

At least according to Rob Janoff, the man who drew the logo

[Chopperboy]

Stephen Fry questioned Steve Jobs about this and the reply was that the logo was more a comment on Apple the record label used by The Beatles.

How many know that Apple's Logo is a tribute to Alan Turing...the apple with a bite out ?