THE UK gay humanist charity the Pink Triangle Trust (PTT) has warmly welcomed unveiling on Friday by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh of a memorial at Bletchley Park to honour those who played a pivotal role in decryption operations during World War II, including the celebrated gay codebreaker and founder of the modern computer Alan Turing, who was driven to suicide by homophobic bigotry.
Commenting on this event PTT secretary George Broadhead said:
It is great that these people who played such a vital part in ensuring Allied victory in the last world war should be honoured in this way. For us gay humanists, most of whom identify as atheist, it is especially welcome that the gay mathematical genius Alan Turing, who was himself a committed atheist, is included.
Turing was treated abominably by the authorities when he was prosecuted for having a gay sexual relationship in 1952. He was condemned to what amounts to chemical castration and later committed suicide. He has since been rehabilitated with a statue being erected to him in Manchester, where he last lived and worked, and an official apology made for his treatment by former prime minister Gordon Brown on behalf of the Government, but nothing can compensate for the tragic loss of such a genius and humanist hero.
A celebration of Turing’s life and scientific influence is to take place next year, the centenary of his birth. The Alan Turing Year will feature a number of major events. Most of these will be linked to places with special significance in Turing’s life, such as Cambridge University, University of Manchester, Bletchley Park, Princeton University, and Stanford University separately in September.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
July 17th, 2011 at 12:16 pm
Turing’s work and genius saved untold numbers of lives. His treatment by the authorities was an abomination. I can’t help thinking, “How terribly sad that he would never know about his rehabilitation and the way he is now revered.” Better late than never, I suppose, but too late for Alan Turing. A truly great man.
July 17th, 2011 at 1:28 pm
Such gratitude shown to him for the thousands of lives he saved!
July 17th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
Good that most of us have progressed and now recognise this persecution for the crime that it was. It is a shame that there are still some who have learned nothing since then and are claiming to be persecuted themselves.
July 17th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
Stonyground. I second that. It was the likes of people like Bob Hutton Birdshit Green and pretty much every client of that dreadful Minicheillo-Williams thing that hounded this great man to his death. And they have the bloody cheek to cry ‘persecution’ when they are asked to desist. It’s sickening.
Even without his honour Turing is rightly recognised as one of the truly great.
July 17th, 2011 at 8:20 pm
remigius
Spot on. Hate mongers like Hutton, Green and Bachmann should hold their heads in shame. They owe so much – their very lives, even – to Alan Turing, yet they despise him and people like him simply because they aren’t just like themselves.
Hypocrites that they are, they say their religion is all about love. It isn’t. It is diametrically opposed to love. It is all about hatred, intolerance and vilifying anyone who doesn’t share their own insane view of the world.
The fact that Turing actually went so far as to kill himself because of his persecution is nothing less than disgraceful. As someone who is heterosexual I can honestly say that I’m really proud that Alan Turing has finally been honoured in this way.
July 17th, 2011 at 9:42 pm
What a marvellous idea, but how horrible that it’s needed in this day and age.
Dug this one out of my bookmarks. Well worth a browse.
July 17th, 2011 at 11:53 pm
AgentCormac,
Christians are to love as Sir Douglas Bader was to tap dancing.
July 18th, 2011 at 2:50 am
This’ll keep the religiots happy. They probably expect him to come back or something, or is that the Hindu’s?
July 18th, 2011 at 6:13 am
Put it on the Postage Stamp.
July 18th, 2011 at 7:33 am
Robster
I believe some small sects of Muslims believe in reincarnation. Probably the best known believers in it would be Buddhists, though.
July 18th, 2011 at 10:47 am
Here is a very good potted biography of Turing (who was possibly dyslexic):
http://www.csh.rit.edu/~jon/text/papers/turing/
One area that Turing would never master was writing and literature. He was terrible with spelling and grammar, English literature, and biblical studies, subjects of great importance in the English public school curriculum. One of his literary instructors wrote of him, “I can forgive his writing, though it is the worst I have ever seen, and … his … slipshod, dirty work … but I can not forgive the stupidity of his attitude towards sane discussion on the New Testament.”
Oh dear!
July 19th, 2011 at 2:22 am
Thanks Daz! I was making a poor attempt at humour.
July 22nd, 2011 at 2:11 am
Though ultimately it was the government (the same government he had served so well) that prosecute, tortured and imprisoned him. Not to let religion off the hook.
July 23rd, 2011 at 1:12 am
I guess we can call that an apology.
July 23rd, 2011 at 7:03 am
Jay: The legislation was only on the statute book because of the views of the Church. Why would any secular government want to persecute homosexuals?