.
Good to see the phrase traced back some centuries in Europe. The earliest
documented historical example of an actual situation, where “nothing about
us without us” had some practical effect, may have been the following, from
South West Asia.
(The full revised text with discussion and references is open online:)
www.independentliving.org/docs7/miles2003.html (also .pdf)
As Alexander “the Great” reached Persepolis in January 330 BC he met a
large group of newly released Greek captives who had been severely
mutilated during Persian enslavement. Alexander agreed to aid their
resettlement. The men withdrew and debated whether it was better to return
to Greece, with money in hand, and disperse to their old families, who might
be shocked by their appearance -- or to stay as a mutually supportive group
and receive benefits in Persia with their local partners. Then they returned to
face the monarch...
“Pathetic as was their condition, they could not be certain they
would get what they wanted from the dashing young hero. Alexander had
already convinced himself that "they were going to ask for what he himself
was thinking of awarding them" (p. 105). In fact, the story has Alexander
launch onto details of how he has already arranged for their transport home,
and the cash in hand for each one, when he notices a lack of enthusiasm
among the delegation:
-- ’Tears welled up and they stared at the ground, daring neither to
raise their eyes nor say a word. At last when the king asked the reason for
their dejection, Euctemon answered much as he had spoken at the meeting.
Alexander was moved to compassion not only for their misfortune but also for
their feelings about it.’ -- (Ibid., p. 105).
In a tale already remarkable, some readers might consider the
least likely feature to have been Alexander's readiness to dismiss his own
idea of repatriating the captives with money in their hands, in favour of what
the mutilated men actually requested. If this is history's first recorded policy
debate among disabled people, it must also be the first time 'the authorities'
have changed their plan and given disabled people something that the great
majority actually wanted! Detailed provisions were ordered, for money,
clothing, livestock, wheat, tax exemption, a grant of land, and a watchful eye
on their welfare by the king's administrators. The Greeks did not know it, but
they might have pitched on an ideal moment. Alexander had begun to
consider himself the rightful 'King of Asia', with vast lands at his disposal
(Plutarch, Alex. 34, tr. Scott-Kilvert, 1973, pp. 291-92). He could settle these
unfortunate men in his own 'new territories' here, a compassionate and
pious act for the gods to approve, before he fell upon Persepolis, which now
lay open before him.”
Excerpt from: Miles, M. 2003. “Segregated We Stand? The Mutilated
Greeks' Debate at Persepolis, 330 BC.” First published in Disability &
Society 18 (7): 865-79.
(Reproduced with permission of Carfax Publishing, Taylor & Francis, and
with some revision. URL given above)
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