Britain Officially Apologizes to Alan Turing

Friday, September 11th, 2009

For all who haven’t heard yet, the British government has officially apologized to the WWII code-breaker Alan Turing who was convicted of “gross indecency” (translated: “being gay”) in 1952 and chemically castrated. Turing committed suicide two years after. Turning was not the only gay man given the choice between prison or chemical castration under homophobic laws, but given his huge contributions to Britain’s WWII efforts, he is easily the most notable.

At least in part this apology and the press surrounding it has been because of the e-Petition that currently lists over 31,000 signatures.

Oh, The Liberal Party

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

Apparently the Liberals are gonna try to call for a no-confidence vote this fall.

A Liberal government, Ignatieff pledged, would return “competence and compassion” to the federal government.

Sure. Right. Y’all remember why Ontario decided to jump on the Conservative band-wagon in the first place, right? Something to do with Martin and his Liberal cohorts and too-many scandals?

I’m just saying. It doesn’t appear the Liberal party has sorted itself out yet. And I’m not sure Ontario’s ready to let them out of the dog house, either.

The Conservatives, he charged, have sat back and done nothing all summer as Canada’s health-care system is dragged through the mud in the United States. “The Liberals are fiercely proud of our health-care system and, unlike the Conservatives, we are not afraid to defend it,” he said.

And while I’m just as ticked as the next Canadian when it comes to the way our health care system has been spun by the US right, I’m extremely glad the federal government didn’t waste my tax dollars getting all up in the US’s face about it. I mean, why? To what end or benefit? Average Canadians are doing a fine job defending our health care loudly and proudly, so I’m not too fussed that Harper didn’t have tantrum. A “no comment” is the exact right response from our government, and never mind the fact that health care is the Province’s jurisdiction anyway. Let our news media and our people speak for ourselves, because the opinion might matter coming from the people who use the system, while a sound bite from a politician is just another sound bite from another politician.

Also? Not particularly excited to foot the bill for another election less than a year after the last one.

At least Iggy isn’t Dion.