Waldo Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 What does the pardon mean? Is it a pardon for an unsafe conviction, or is it a pardon whilst acknowledging he was in breach of the law, but the law was wrong and unjust? If it's the latter, I agree with angos, it should be extended to all those convicted of the offence. Essentially, it's simply a device to cement the (seeming) authority of the 'Royal' family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenRivers Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Essentially, it's simply a device to cement the (seeming) authority of the 'Royal' family. I see what you mean, we'll pardon somebody because we can and only we can and make sure everybody knows it. Tbh I'm not sure how anybody (even the campaigners) can draw any comfort from it, seems like a pointless exercise unless they all get a pardon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angos Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I see what you mean, we'll pardon somebody because we can and only we can and make sure everybody knows it. Tbh I'm not sure how anybody (even the campaigners) can draw any comfort from it, seems like a pointless exercise unless they all get a pardon. I didn't even know he had a conviction until now, I had only heard of him because of his work with breaking enigma. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nagel Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I don't get the point. Can someone explain it? You can't change the past or make it any more palatable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Hans Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 What's the point, really...he's dead. IIRC criminal records expire when you reach 100 years of age anyway so what actually are they pardoning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waldo Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 I see what you mean, we'll pardon somebody because we can and only we can and make sure everybody knows it. Yep, it just helps to perpetuate the fiction that is royalty; it's the same thing with the honours system, I wouldn't accept one, neither would I accept a pardon (unless of course it involved something substantial, like release from prison, or a financial payout). I'm not sure how anybody (even the campaigners) can draw any comfort from it, seems like a pointless exercise unless they all get a pardon. Seems to me it's the authorities who convicted him in the first place, who are in the wrong, and should be seeking the pardon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Whilst this is good news. A pardon is the forgiveness of a crime and the cancellation of the relevant penalty. What it really needs is an acknowledgment from the state that it was wrong to convict people of homosexuality and all convictions should then be quashed. Not for priests I hope and make no mistake. A priest who molests a boy is homosexual by inclination especially so since he had no desire to co-habit with a woman in the first place and chose a life of abstinence instead.... that is until he fell in love with one of the choirboys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxman Posted December 24, 2013 Author Share Posted December 24, 2013 Not for priests I hope and make no mistake. A priest who molests a boy is homosexual by inclination especially so since he had no desire to co-habit with a woman in the first place and chose a life of abstinence instead.... that is until he fell in love with one of the choirboys Why are you comparing homosexuality to child abuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SevenRivers Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Yep, it just helps to perpetuate the fiction that is royalty; it's the same thing with the honours system, I wouldn't accept one, neither would I accept a pardon (unless of course it involved something substantial, like release from prison, or a financial payout). Seems to me it's the authorities who convicted him in the first place, who are in the wrong, and should be seeking the pardon. I like that idea, that HMG or HM QEII should have to ask for a pardon from those who they have wronged. ---------- Post added 24-12-2013 at 17:28 ---------- It's a stark reminder that whilst countries like Uganda are backwards by our modern standards (Uganda recently enacted a law to jail homosexuals for life), it's not so long ago we were almost as backwards. We only need look back a couple of generations and wonder how so wrong they could be, but at least we can see how far we've come in a relatively short time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harleyman Posted December 24, 2013 Share Posted December 24, 2013 Why are you comparing homosexuality to child abuse? In the case of a priest who is specifically attracted to a boy there is a connection with homosexual behaviour as well as being child abuse If a girl were the victim then it's a case of plain child abuse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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