I have commented on this before, when mutterings about "Pardons" first reared their heads! To reiterate
Should he have been “Pardoned”?
Well, No. And here’s why not!
The Alan Turing story tends to be told as if to imply that he was somehow the victim of a brutal state machine persecuting him for attempting to lead a normal life within his own natural genetic preferences.
This is really not what happened.
Firstly, the idea that either the security services or his colleges were unaware of his homosexuality or that his disgrace came as a result of some sudden discovery by the authorities is frankly risible! Of course they knew! Did anybody care?? No
Alan Turing’s “fall from grace” began when he (at the age of 40) picked up an anonymous teenager outside a Hotel..
After a number of “Brief encounters” he invited this youth back to his home. Subsequently the youth, along with an accomplice attempted to burgle Mr Turing’s home.
At this point he reported it to the Police. During the course of this investigation Mr Turing admitted to the Police that Homosexual acts had taken place.
Now, for starters, even by modern standards this represents pretty perverted behaviour (I would imagine many if not most people would regard a Middle aged Man who went around picking up teenage Girls off street corners for sex as a pervert too, even today! The Homosexuality aspect is just the icing on the cake!!). Added to which, the police could hardly brush the issue aside. Any more than they could if somebody complained that their next-door neighbours 14-year-old daughter and boyfriend had attempted to burgle his house. Oh, and by the way, he had had sex with her the previous week!
He wasn’t “Persecuted” He volunteered the admission (Probably thinking he was Soooo important that they would just ignore it). He offered no defence at his trial and the judge therefore had little option other than to apply the Law as it stood!
I am sure his handlers might well have wanted to sweep it all under the carpet but for the fact that by now too many civilian authorities were involved to be able to do so. Also there is another factor. Likely rather more important to the security services!
If we add in the fact that this was a man involved in top secret military research with a high level security clearance who had let a complete stranger of doubtful provenance into his home then the shear scale of his irresponsibility and the betrayal of the trust of his colleagues for the sake of a bit of self indulgent self gratification becomes apparent.
Of Course, anyone displaying this scale of poor judgement and lack of self-control should lose his job and security clearance. Anybody today who got into a similar mess through associating with prostitutes should be treated the same way. This isn’t a “Gay Rights” issue. It is a “Being a bloody idiot” issue!
Should Turing be remembered as a brilliant mathematician who helped to lay the foundations of a new technology?-Yes
Should he be remembered as someone who helped this country defeat the Germans?-yes
Should we have sympathy for somebody whose personal issues clearly went Waaay beyond simply being a homosexual in 1950’ Britain-Yes Too!
Should he be held up as a “Cause Celebre” for Gay Rights?
Well No, Not unless Gays forever wish to be associated with seedy middle aged men picking up rent boys for bum-sex! Being an exceptionally clever seedy middle aged Man doesn’t make him any less seedy!
