Turing Petition

[purplecthulhu]

Petition at No. 10 to have an official apology for the homophobic hounding that led to Alan Turing's early death and official under-appreciation of his achievements:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/turing/

Sign it - you know it's right.

Comments

[vaughan_stanger]

Thanks for pointing it out. Just signed it.

[purplecthulhu]

Great!

You'll be pleased to know your name was being pinned to people's chests at Worldcon :-)

[vaughan_stanger]

That's vicarious attendance for you.

[purpletigron]

I see the point as being an official acknowledgement by living people in positions of some power to other living people who are still suffering from some level of prejudice that what happened is not now condoned.

[purplecthulhu]

There's also the issue that some of the people responsible may still be around - it's not that long ago.

And seriously, Turing's contribution to the war effort was greater than many who were awarded medals and are commemorated with statues etc. If there is a point in commemorating these others, then Turing has to be as well.

[inamac]

I'm dubious about the value of any 'forced' 'apology for anything - especially by a governmnt with a bad track record for honour in any form I'd recognise.

Now a petition/subscription for a commemorative memorial somewhere appropriate (Bletchley Park? Parliament Square?) I'd sign up for like a shot.

[ffutures]

I'm a bit surprised this is still around - I thought I'd signed it last year. Or is it another one?

[purplecthulhu]

I thin it must be a new one - deadline's not until 2010... I didn't hear about an earlier one!

[klwilliams]

Darn, you have to be a UK citizen to sign it. (OK, that's reasonable, but still.)