House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#1

Post by scoot » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:29 PM UTC

House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing
bbc.co.uk

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#2

Post by tome » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:43 PM UTC

Shouldn't all people punished under criminalization of homosexuality be retrospectively pardoned?

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#3

Post by Uhhrrr » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:46 PM UTC

tome wrote: post #2

Shouldn't all people punished under criminalization of homosexuality be retrospectively pardoned?

Especially if the House of Lords is deciding the issue!

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#4

Post by jacobwcarlson » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:47 PM UTC

tome wrote: post #2

Shouldn't all people punished under criminalization of homosexuality be retrospectively pardoned?

The idea is that by not changing bad decisions made in the past, those mistakes aren't forgotten or brushed under the rug.

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#5

Post by taybin » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:47 PM UTC

They should pardon all the people convicted under that law. Not just the famous, useful ones.

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#6

Post by MereInterest » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:51 PM UTC

If I remember correctly, the last time this came up, they gave a good reason for not pardoning him. They knew that he was innocent, and that the government of the time had wronged him. Still, they refused to give a pardon. Not because they agreed with the actions against Turing, but because they felt that pardoning him would be an attempt to cover up their mistreatment of him.

They refused to pardon him, because it was their shame to know how wrongly they had acted, and they would not hide that shame.

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#7

Post by anuragramdasan » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:55 PM UTC

The 16,000 alive have to apply to get pardoned?

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#8

Post by dyno12345 » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:56 PM UTC

MereInterest wrote: post #6

If I remember correctly, the last time this came up, they gave a good reason for not pardoning him. They knew that he was innocent, and that the government of the time had wronged him. Still, they refused to give a pardon. Not because they agreed with the actions against Turing, but because they felt that pardoning him would be an attempt to cover up their mistreatment of him. They refused to pardon him, because it w…

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-16919012

The explanation given was that the law was wrong, not that he hadn't broken it so as to have a pardon, and you can't posthumously commute a sentence

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#9

Post by nknighthb » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:58 PM UTC

MereInterest wrote: post #6

If I remember correctly, the last time this came up, they gave a good reason for not pardoning him. They knew that he was innocent, and that the government of the time had wronged him. Still, they refused to give a pardon. Not because they agreed with the actions against Turing, but because they felt that pardoning him would be an attempt to cover up their mistreatment of him. They refused to pardon him, because it w…

This "good reason" makes no sense whatsoever. It's somebody's poor attempt at doublespeak. Pardons are not a coverup.

Re: House of Lords debates pardon for Alan Turing

#10

Post by eeky » Fri, Jul 19, 2013, 5:58 PM UTC

Like the majority of people, I oppose gay marriage. But what the British government did with chemical castration to Alan Turing and others is absolutely reprehensible - and they should pardon all of them. Let's not conflate these issues please.