Oh man, that kind of sound logic would get you banned on any other forum. Thanks to God for FreeRepublic!
He’s right. If you can speak, your upper airway is open. Hence not being choked.
As an ER physician, and former EMS medical director the FIRST thing I do or tell EMTS to do is try to get the patient to speak. You immediately get a sense of the patients airway, his circulation ( you need blood to perfuse your brain to speak and respond to questions) and the patients mental status ( alert, understands your questions, responds appropriately) etc.
If I have someone in respiratory distress and they are saying very clearly “ I can’t breath” the problem is not their airway. Something else is causing their “air hunger”. All kinds of things involving the cardio pulmonary system can cause that sensation.