Halloween-themed Signal Boost and PSA:

[capri0mni]

I'm collecting images from history of physically and mentally disabled, and their struggles against "The Normals" for a project I'm working on. And in my insomnia-driven quest Last Night/This Morning, I came across the following tidbit (from this website: The Sheredes Project: Spitalbrook Hospital):

(Quote)
The Living Dead

In the Middle Ages, if a person developed leprosy, they would be declared legally dead and lose all their possessions. They would have to leave their family, and go to live with other lepers in a place like the hospital at Spitalbrook. In Medieval times, this would have been outside the village of Hoddesdon.

Lepers were given special clothes, a begging bowl, and a bell or wooden clapper, so they could be clearly seen and to warn other people to keep their distance. They were given these in a ceremony that was modelled on the service for the burial of the dead and, in many places, the leper was actually required to stand in an open grave while the ritual, that marked them as outcasts from society, was performed above their head.
(Unquote)

Now, for the record: No, I don't believe the early makers of Grade B Zombie movies realized they were making entertainment based on historical instances of actual human rights violations. They probably thought the idea of "Living Dead" just sounded cool, and let their imaginations run wild.

But, you know. It's something for you to think about, when you're deciding what sort of entertainment to hoot, screech and laugh over, next week.

Comments

[spiralsheep]

The dead don't have to pay taxes, etc.

Good point, although I'm cynical enough to think that "infectious" people not being required to work in the local Lord's fields or turn out for militia duty was probably more of a benefit for their former neighbours (and now I have images of the zombies in Ankh-Morpork's City Watch with their fingers falling off on duty &c.).

[capri0mni]

Just so. I am also reminded of our modern times and society when the Disabled are granted "compensation" in the form of things like not having to pay tax on their car if they have a Disability access license plate.

...Well, okay. That's "nice," I guess... But it would be better to have a fully accessible public transit system, so I wouldn't need to own a specially adapted van just to live in this community.

But the State ways its options and decides waiving my taxes is less of a social burden than actually acting on platitude that I am fully human...