This is not a political issue, it's not even an American issue, but it is something I do feel strongly about. When it comes to gay rights, I am far more progressive than anyone can guess.

At it's heart is the belief that a pardon for an unjust crime is the best way to move people and society forward from its dark ages of bigotry.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-gays-pardon-idUSKCN12K1BB

I don't like the idea of a Pardon for a crime that was unjustly created against same sex relationships based upon a closed society that imprison and attack gay/bi men for no good reason..

The government of UK ruined thousands of lives and now has the gall to ask people to accept a pardon for a crime, a crime that many of us on GA have committed on numerous occasions. A pardon would claim the laws were justified and right for society, but I would argue that it was neither. For LGBT seniors to accept this would be like a slap on the face, "Well, you broke the laws, but now society has changed its views, so you get a pardon". If humanity is to evolve, we cannot accept injustice in the past as something "justified". Instead of a pardon, a full "expunging" of all homosexual convictions throughout history should be the ultimate aim, a complete revocation against unjust social frameworks.

I also despise the way this is being pushed and I quote "The government said anyone who had been found guilty of consensual homosexual sex would have their names cleared, and for those still living, the offences would be removed from any criminal record checks via a "disregard process"."

Remember, these are "only" laws predating 1967, so the guys, who are pardoned are in their late 60's-70's, they're already on retirement pensions. It is too little and too late for many of the guys convicted, who will never get a chance to enjoy what a pardon can offer in removing their criminal record.

Seriously, is that what you do for the thousands of living gay/bi men, who have been wrongly judged based upon a record that should never have existed in the place. It is flat out bigotry and this nudge to remove it on a record of people who are likely in their late 60's-70's is a half baked idea for what these guys had to suffer for decades under a system that made them to be criminals.

My opinion and desire is: A blanket apology and "Full" Expunging of all homosexual conviction under UK laws, including laws concerning "causing public disturbances" when gay and lesbian couples kissed or embraced even after 1967 that this current pardon does not cover, should be done. If you want to do something right to correct a grievous injustice, then do it fully.

The current measure by the British Government is half-hearted and half-assed