Freedom of Speech: Reflections of a speech-language pathologist

Amendment Three, the U.S. Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…”

I get paid to speak. As a speech-language pathologist, I use that skill to help others speak who do not have the ability due to a diagnosis (autism, Down’s syndrome, developmental delay etc.). Others have lost their ability to communicate because of a disease process, such as Parkinson’s. Some have had a stroke. Speech and language deficits are sometimes the result of head injury. During this election year, we hear a lot of talk in the media about basic human rights and freedoms. There are some who want to limit those rights and freedoms, while others want to protect Americans from losing their freedom.

I believe that the ability to speak is a basic human right, a freedom we cannot take for granted. Any of us can become incapacitated at any moment and lose our ability to express our thoughts, and dreams, or our ability to communicate wants, needs, and desires. So, in a sense, I am in the business of facilitating the basic freedom of expression for those who cannot do it themselves. I don’t take this responsibility lightly. I am grateful for a profession that provides me the privilege of helping people of all ages gain or regain the ability to exercise their freedom of speech.

Mr. Charles Mangone is a doctoral candidate attending Rocky Mountain University and is working towards completion of his clinical doctorate in speech-language pathology (SLPD). He is a retired U.S. Army captain and is currently a speech-language pathology evaluator in the Charlotte County public school district in Port Charlotte, Florida.