Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

I guessed that ,my issue with it is that your thread title concentrates on Turin being gay and an athiest when in fact the honour is for everyone who worked at Bletcheley not just for Turin

---------- Post added at 18:56 ---------- Previous post was at 18:54 ----------

erm ,the beeb link from Kymmy doesn't mention Turin or him being gay or an atheist it quite rightly devotes the article to Bletcheley and everyone who worked there

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Because the OP has an axe to grind, and chose to kick off the thread by quoting a pressure group with a similar axe to grind.

The memorial unveiled at Bletchley has nothing to do with anybody's sexuality and it cheapens the massive achievement of those to whom it is dedicated that the occasion is being used as a means of promoting any agenda other than the need to properly recognise the contributions of everyone who played a part in defending their country - especially those whose roles are not the sort that are normally held in high honour, or were of necessity kept out of sight and in secret.

---------- Post added at 19:25 ---------- Previous post was at 19:22 ----------

Anybody interested in reading a slightly less skewed report of events could try reading this:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...s-2314335.html

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

He was leaned on,prevented from doing the sort of work he did during the war in case he was 'blackmailed' and generally hounded by the society that originally couldn't give a toss about his sexuality during the war because what he was doing was too important.However during the 'cold war' any one who was homosexual was viewed as being a possible security risk and therefore not fit for certain high security risk jobs.

Eventually he ate a cyanide impregnated apple as a form of suicide.

So yes his sexuality played a great part in how he was dealt with.
It was a great shame as we lost one of the most wonderful minds of the 20th century far too early.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Gay Atheist Hero sounds like a really awful idea for a comic book.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Well change the title then..it does seem a bit over the top,especially the Atheist bit.;)

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Complaining about a media obsession with sexuality and quoting an article utterly obsessed with sexuality along with a healthy dose of aggressive atheism aren't really compatible.

I keep in touch with the lovely Dr Sue Black via Twitter, she was actually there for the Queen's visit and has been a huge evangelist for Bletchley Park. I'll ask her what she thinks of that story.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Not so much emphasis as focus. Nothing to do with his achievements, but because he chose to end his life due to persecution re his sexual orientation...

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

non of which has anything to do with the honour that the workers at Bletchley received .

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

No. It's not an honour to Turing, but to the workers in general, of which he was one. The Pink Triangle Trust has decided to focus on Turing though. In (not so) related news, a charity campaigner has called for mandatory sun safety policies for schools. It's what pressure groups do. Drawing attention (often rather single-mindedly) to whatever their focus is.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Sadly, I have to agree.
Spies, infiltrates, intellgensia, etc, had to be beyond blackmail of any kind. There was only one out way of it for him - it was either of their own doing or others'.
His sexuality made him vulnerable to blackmail or worse in those days.
I expect that nothing much has changed since.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

A little worse than that Maggy. He had his security clearances revoked, was fired from every project he was involved with at the time, Arrested, criminally charged and prosecuted (Homosexuality was illegal at the time) and chemically castrated which no doubt led to his suicide. (Although his family said his death was accidental).

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Royal pardon for Turing. Guess some on here will say it ignores the contribution of others who served at Bletchley Park...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25495315

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Its about time to :clap:

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Seconded.

Re: Gay atheist hero and genius Alan Turing honoured by the Queen
 

Hopefully there will be more pardons coming for others convicted of the same 'crime'.