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MADem

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35. As a former speechwriter, I know this.

Sat Jul 20, 2013, 06:12 PM

Jul 2013

Bottom line though, is this--it's HIS signature, as Prime Minister, at the bottom of that document.

He owned the words. Not the speechwriters, not the vetters, not the fact-checkers, spell-checkers, typists and proofreaders.

I don't think the LGBT community in UK is too concerned about the enthusiasm of bystanders, or lack thereof. This whole process is THEIR baby; they regarded it as important and meaningful, and I applaud their initiative and I do happen to agree with them, even though I am not a citizen of that land (though I was a former resident for many years) . You don't have to agree or be enthused, though...it's about them and their struggle, in their country.

I'm glad for them. I think these kinds of "symbolic" things are important, because they transmit a sense of what is justice to generations that follow.

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Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing to be given posthumous pardon [View all] onehandle Jul 2013 OP

It is about time! n/t xocet Jul 2013 #1

You beat me to it! n.t. RoccoR5955 Jul 2013 #19

Agreed. nt awoke_in_2003 Jul 2013 #23

honored to be the 5th Rec for a world hero, who was a Gay man! Divine Discontent Jul 2013 #2

Not nearly enough. sir pball Jul 2013 #47

hear hear! Divine Discontent Jul 2013 #57

Marian Rejewski about 1932, when he first broke Enigma. Major Hogwash Jul 2013 #3

Thanks for the fill in dipsydoodle Jul 2013 #14

There is more to the story melm00se Jul 2013 #48

OMG! SoapBox Jul 2013 #4

I''m not inclined to stand in line to pardon the gov't delrem Jul 2013 #5

I regard pardons of this sort as a way of the government saying "WE were wrong," not that MADem Jul 2013 #6

If that were the story, it would be the lead. delrem Jul 2013 #7

Well, perception is a funny thing. nt MADem Jul 2013 #8

I suppose it is, MADem. delrem Jul 2013 #9

My perception is that the government is embarrassed by the conduct of the leadership in the MADem Jul 2013 #10

A "pardon" is different than a declaration that charge was *null*, delrem Jul 2013 #11

Whatever. I don't see Parliament doing that very often, or even ever. The Pardon is how they do it. MADem Jul 2013 #12

OK - gotcha. delrem Jul 2013 #13

Might be nice if they just came out and said that skepticscott Jul 2013 #15

Well, Gordon Brown did say exactly that. We're sorry, you deserved so much better. MADem Jul 2013 #28

What they said was not my point skepticscott Jul 2013 #30

Well, you can go back and yell at every PM before Brown, it won't change a thing. MADem Jul 2013 #33

Well, don't fool yourself that every word and phrase skepticscott Jul 2013 #34

As a former speechwriter, I know this. MADem Jul 2013 #35

I never said I didn't agree skepticscott Jul 2013 #36

I think it was heartfelt and entirely sincere. I think Gordon Brown meant every single word of it. MADem Jul 2013 #44

That still leaves unanswered the question of why skepticscott Jul 2013 #45

Well, of course it isn't "personal." No one alive today was responsible for the reprehensible MADem Jul 2013 #51

Which is exactly why skepticscott Jul 2013 #53

So, let's just skip it, then. Don't bother. It'll never be good enough. No apologies. No MADem Jul 2013 #55

Here is the flaw in your thinking and the UK government's extreme hubristic bigotry: Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #17

What was it that Confucius said about a journey of a thousand miles? MADem Jul 2013 #25

Here's how it's done delrem Jul 2013 #27

I invite your attention to POST 28. MADem Jul 2013 #29

That *is* better. delrem Jul 2013 #32

Good for Turning. secondvariety Jul 2013 #16

Leaving the rest indicted is their way of slapping Turing and all of the rest of us Bluenorthwest Jul 2013 #18

it just seems so petty and regressive. I searched for more news on this as I wondered- KittyWampus Jul 2013 #38

So the government apologizes to itself and gives itself a pardon Laughing Mirror Jul 2013 #20

The pardon is a legal thing--what it means in this case is "You committed no crime." MADem Jul 2013 #31

And a fat lot of good it will do the bloke. malthaussen Jul 2013 #21

Good Turing had class. Govvies need to stay on their toes. toby jo Jul 2013 #22

They should make a staute of this great man and put it in a prominent space so it can inspire others grantcart Jul 2013 #24

There's a spare plinth in Trafalgar, why not? nt MADem Jul 2013 #26

I agree. nt msanthrope Jul 2013 #37

He deserves a spot skepticscott Jul 2013 #41

He was cremated, and his ashes scattered, so one can't dig him up. MADem Jul 2013 #43

Trafalgar wouldn't be bad skepticscott Jul 2013 #46

I dunno....I think some would regard it as hypocritical. MADem Jul 2013 #49

Well, Charles Darwin is buried in Westminster skepticscott Jul 2013 #50

That was before the A Team was so "active" re: their disdain for religion. MADem Jul 2013 #52

As noted, Westminster Abbey is much more than a church skepticscott Jul 2013 #54

But it IS a church. I'd be interested in hearing how the "A" Team here on DU would MADem Jul 2013 #56

We need someone of his intelligence now xfundy Jul 2013 #39

This can't happen soon enough. TroglodyteScholar Jul 2013 #40

Imagine if his sexuality had been accepted by society and he had lived 40 more years daleo Jul 2013 #42