http://www.number10.gov.uk/Page20571

Alan Turing is considered to be the father of modern computer science.  Turing is also partly responsible for designing the “bombe,” a machine used to crack the German Enigma machine yielding invaluable German military Intelligence to the Allied forces.

Unfortunately, instead of being revered by his government for his services rendered, he was criminally prosecuted for being a homosexual because homosexuality was illegal in Great Britain in 1952.  Having seen the end of his career and having undergone the subsequent drug treatment administered by the government to cure his homosexuality, he committed suicide via a cyanide induced apple.

Since then, the scientific community has embraced his achievements and ignored his lifestyle decision (as they should).  With great pleasure, I have stumbled upon an online petition urging the British PM to apologize to Alan Turing.  It is shame that only British citizens can sign it.  This petition can be found:

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/turing/

For more information about Alan Turing:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Turing

Lastly, what would this be without a plug for gay rights in today’s society:

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/index.html