This article was originally posted here and has been posted to our artefacts with the permission of the author.
“We were inhumane” – Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the persecution of war hero Alan Turing
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/sep/11/pm-apology-to-alan-turing
The 2009 Apology to Alan Turing from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown (Bletchley Park)
If you head to Bletchley Park – home of the original Cypherpunks – you will see a posthumous apology (from former PM Gordon Brown) to war hero and father of modern computing – Alan Turing – for the abhorrent and inhumane treatment he faced at the hands of government, which led to his suicide.
Venture past the beautiful Alan Turing sculpture and you will see a testimonial to war hero Agent ZigZag (Eddie Chapman) who, like Alan, saved tens of thousands of lives with his bravery.
Prior to the war, Eddie was a wanted criminal being pursued by Interpol as Britain’s most notorious safe cracker. He would later receive a pardon. Which goes to show really, doesn’t it, what brilliant humans who care about fellow humans are capable of doing when they’re given another chance.
Tribute to Eddie Chapman (Agent ZigZag) at Bletchley Park
One must wonder what Bletchley Park will look like a few decades from now. What history in these cyberwars will be passed on to new generations? Which people will be revered for their bravery during these tumultuous times. And who will be seen as villains and enablers of those who, in modern times, will later be judged to have acted inhumanely?
Julian, like Alan Turing, is neurodivergent.
Head over to the GCHQ website (1) and you will see how their recruiting strategies have changed dramatically over the last decade. Indeed, they are now actively seeking people who, like Julian and Aaron Swartz (2), “think differently” due to conditions like autism and ADHD. In fact folks with those conditions are now fundamental to the nation’s security. Just like Eddie and Alan were during ww2.
How do you wish to be remembered by future generations?
What then, will future generations think of the way governments of today treated those who sought peace and justice and opposed immoral and illegal war crimes, every bit as cruel and evil as the scenes we are today seeing in the Ukraine?
Must we wait then, whilst mistakes made in the past that led to the suicide of Alan (and later Aaron Swartz) are repeated? Are future generations to be content with a posthumous apology from prime ministers and presidents, hanging in some future Bletchley Park memorial dedicated to Julian and Aaron to discuss the inhumane treatment that people in leadership positions allowed to happen on their watch?
Or will those leaders with a conscience recognise that enough is enough and finally close this chapter, and put an end to this tragic cycle of violence that killed Alan and Aaron and imprisoned many more?
I believe leaders and lawmakers presiding over life-changing decisions today must ask themselves: What role will history books and those future testimonials at Bletchley show they played in the closing of this chapter? Did they help end the inhumanity and, in the spirit of those who gave ZigZag (once classed as a common criminal who turned out to be a true hero with a beautiful brain and heart) another chance?
Here is a quote from Sir Tim Berners-Lee who, like myself, broke down into tears the moment he heard the news of Aaron’s suicide…
I believe it is time to open a new chapter for humanity, one that begins with an act of kindness and true humanity that sees those who have been oppressed for ‘thinking differently’ (as opposed to coveted by a newly reformed GCHQ) are forgiven and given a new chance to contribute positively to society.
That chapter can begin right now with the act of forgiving Julian and allowing him to return back to his beautiful homeland of Australia.
Thank you for reading.
Peace and Love. Always.
Lee
(A very concerned computer scientist and citizen)
(1) GCHQ – Daring to think differently and be different
https://www.gchq.gov.uk/information/daring-to-think-differently-and-be-different
(2) History of Aaron Swartz (RIP)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aaron_Swartz
https://www.youtube.com/embed/bmtubiCfYjY?si=JITJf_srZOh2KscS
