On Fri, 21 Oct 2016 00:44:10 +0000, Dänk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3853580/Thousands-gay-bisexual-
men-convicted-abolished-sex-offences-posthumously-pardoned-like-WWII-co
de-breaker-Alan-Turing.html
Post by Dänk 42ÃPost by BykerWhat is the point? They broke the law as it stood then. That was the law
then and they broke it, I know it seems wrong now but you cannot not go
backwards to change the rules.
Now there'll be a stampede of surviving relatives demanding
"compensation"...
The law was unjust and unconstitutional by today's standards.
California is already working on a legal procedure to nullify
past marijuana convictions after that drug is probably
legalized in November.
They weren't "unjust and unconstitutional", just different. The way
they were enacted and enforced was exactly the same as current laws.
It's no good trying to pretend they didn't exist. Better to look at
present day laws; there are occasionally questions whether an
artist's work should be read/heard/viewed if he is convicted of some
(currently regarded as) heinous crime. Rolf Harris's artworks are
quietly being removed, and periodically there are calls for the
removal of Eric Gill's sculpture above the entrance to BBC
Broadcasting House (which additionally features a naked boy).
Post by Dänk 42ÃA pardon seems insufficient, and still stigmatizes the individual
because only criminals can be pardoned, and the pardon remains on
record even if the criminal conviction is erased. A full
dismissal of the charges is appropriate, as if no crime ever
occurred.
That won't help anyone, especially if the person is dead. Just a
pointless sop to present day consciences like apologising for the
slave trade.
Post by Dänk 42ÃThe conviction of Alan Turing is especially egregious, as his work
on encryption was instrumental in winning the war. Instead of
thanks, he was convicted of having improper sexual relations. The
"freedom" he thought he was fighting for didn't exist in his case.
I don't think many fought WW2 for the freedom to engage in homosexual
relations.
--
Max Demian