disability fact file
Speech Disabilities
Speech-related disabilities are one of the more obvious disabilities,
especially as they relate to speech-based communication - something commonly
used in both work and social life. At one extreme are people who cannot speak
at all, and must communicate by sign language or by talking computer (as used
by Steven Hawking). Yet even where the disability does not significantly impair
the ability to communicate in an understandable way, people with speech disabilities
are often subject to oppression and ridicule in public, and discrimination in
employment. The disability may be an "act of God", but the oppression
is definitely based in capitalist society.
Causes of speech disability
- Loss of use of, or removal of, vocal chords
- Physical impairment, eg lisp
- Mental co-ordination disability, eg stutter
- Disability relating to co-ordination of mouth or throat muscles
- Deafness or hearing disability
How are people with speech disabilities handicapped by Capitalism ?
- People with speech-related disabilities are very often - wrongly - seen
as stupid. This means fascists can easily belittle someone by ridiculing his/her
speech disability. A common tactic in arguments, which fascists can never
win by facts alone (because they talk bulls**t), so they resort to bullying
tactics. Which is why fascists should never be given a "platform"
to speak.
- Discrimination in employment, partly due to prejudice (see above). Also
partly due to capitalist obsession with speed of production, which includes
speed of communication. The problem has been aggravated by the increasing
importance of call-centres and tele-sales, as a source of employment. The
growth of these is largely due to a growth of marketing, which would not be
needed if capitalism was abolished and replaced by socialism.
- Telephones are still the dominant means of immediate long-distance communication,
the speech based nature of which puts people with speech disabilities at a
disadvantage. (This is, however, being slowly alleviated by the growth in
e-mail and in mobile phone text-messaging).
How would measures which help speech-disabled people, benefit the whole community?
- Near-instant text based communications, such as e-mail and mobile phone
text-messaging, allow messages to be sent even when the recipient is busy.
The recipient can then reply when he or she is free to do so.
- Text-based communication is sometimes easier to understand, especially
when words are used which sound similar but are spelt differently.
- The use and teaching of sign-language would make communications easier
in noisy places, such as a workplace, disco or crowded street.
Political Correctness
- Never impersonate a person's speech disability !
Famous people with speech disabilities
Did you know
- The first form of long-distance electric communication was the telegraph,
which was text-based (morse code)
- Likewise, the earliest radio communication was text-based (morse code).
Speech based radio did not arrive until the development of AM (amplitude modulation)
in 1921.
- Many radio amateurs still prefer morse code to speech, as it can transmit
further for the same transmit power, and also uses less bandwidth.
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