CNN: Petition for UK to apologize for treatment of Dr, Turing "gaining momentum".

[grantcart]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/01/alan.turing.petition/index.html

LONDON, England (CNN) -- An online petition demanding a formal apology from the British government for its treatment of World War II code-breaker Alan Turing is gaining momentum.


A portrait of Alan Turing is currently on display at the National Portrait Gallery's "Gay Icons" exhibition.

1 of 3 Turing was subjected to chemical castration in 1952 after being found guilty of the charge of gross indecency for having a homosexual relationship, an illegal act at the time. He committed suicide two years later.

More than 19,000 people have added their names to the petition on the UK Government Web site since it opened three weeks ago, urging the government to "recognize the tragic consequences of prejudice that ended this man's life and career."

The petition was created by computer scientist John Graham-Cumming, who said he grew "mad" at the country's memory of a man he says should be considered one of its national heroes.

"I'm looking for an apology from the British government because that's where I think the wrong was done. But Turing is clearly someone of international stature," Graham-Cumming said.



Petition can be found here: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/turing/?showall=1


Background on Dr. Turing here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

[tbyg52]

1. K&R

Thank you for the information.

Edited to add: Oh, phooey, not done. You have to be a British citizen or resident. Well, I tried.

[Starry Messenger]

2. I hope he gets a hero's recognition.

He deserves so much more than just a posthumous apology.

[TheWraith]

3. Context.

Turing was critical in the breaking of the "Enigma" cryptograms used by Nazi Germany, by analyzing the Enigma machines and designing the "cryptologic bombe" machines used to break the codes. The ability to read the Enigma codes, and thus see almost all of Germany's secret communications, was credited with saving thousands of lives in the Battle of the Atlantic, as well as shortening the war in Europe.

[ruggerson]

4. The man needs to be posthumously knighted, since he basically saved the free world

an apology doesn't cut it.

[Eryemil]

6. They don't do those. n|t

[tbyg52]

7. So he could be the first.

He deserves it.

[jonnyblitz]

5. There is a "biopic" about him called "Breaking the Code" that

is quite good. It was made in 1996 and I do believe I saw it on my local PBS station around then. I will probably watch it again since I found the torrent for it....

here is a link to the IMDB entry for it:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115749/