Re: (BBC) Thousands call for Turing apology
Martin Postranecky <mp-/[email protected]>
| Newsgroups | gmane.science.cryptography.bletchley-park |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
On Mon, 31 Aug 2009, Michael Bilow wrote : ------------------------------------------ > Re: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/8226509.stm > > Thousands of people have signed a Downing Street petition calling > for a posthumous government apology to World War II code breaker > Alan Turing. > Writer Ian McEwan has just backed the campaign, which already has > the support of scientist Richard Dawkins. > In 1952 Turing was prosecuted under the gross indecency act after > admitting to a sexual relationship with a man. Two years later he > killed himself. > The petition was the idea of computer scientist John Graham-Cumming. more....: Tuesday, 18 August 2009 The Turing enigma : Campaigners demand pardon for mathematics genius -------------------------------------------------------------------- He should have been hailed a hero for his wartime codebreaking. Instead he was prosecuted for his homosexuality and took his own life. So why has Britain never said sorry ? /snip/ The consequences which unfolded were not only a tragedy for Turing, his friends and family, it also robbed the world of one of the greatest thinkers of the 20th century. Now campaigners are demanding an official apology from the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, recognising the "consequences of prejudice that ended his career". More than 700 people have signed a petition started by the leading computer scientist John Graham-Cumming on the Downing Street website, including gay rights campaigners, politicians and scientists..../snip/ http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/the-turing-enigma-campaigners-demand-pardon-for-mathematics-genius-1773480.html http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1132035_campaign_to_win_official_apology_for_alan_turing http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/dawkins-calls-for-official-apology-for-turing-1774033.html http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/world-war-2/6047979/Enigma-code-cracker-Alan-Turing-hailed-as-gay-martyr.html http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/thousands-sign-turing-petition-1779882.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/religion_and_ethics/newsid_8209000/8209978.stm