Twilight Sparkle was sitting in her room sipping tea and reading a book inside her castle when somepony franticly knocked on her door. Twilight saw that Celestia was outside so she opened the door and Celestia let herself in.
"Celestia? Aren't you supposed to be meeting with the Cadence today so you all can agree on what policies could help our two kigdoms better? Why are you here?" Twilight asked as she closed the door. Celestia was pacing back and forth while she panicked as Twilight watched her with a concerned expression.
"Celestia it would be great to let me know about what your freaking out about. Has there been a diplomatic issue that needs solving? I'm real good at those. Or has there been a monster that has been unleashed in Equestria where we will need the elements to defeat it." Twilight asked.
Celestia knew that Twilight was not going to like the answer she was going to give her but she knew that she needed somebody to join this debate and the only pony she knew who had more knowledge than her was Twilight Sparkle. She spoke to Twilight.
"Well...not exactly....Twilight...have you ever heard about Professor Berry Bubble? He's an advocate for child facilitator therapy which has been proven as quackery in Equestria. There's going to be a huge debate about whether the therapy is effective coming up and I want you to debate him. I know that your autistic yourself so you can use that to make him feel bad for putting children through this torture." Celestia said. Twilight groaned.
"Oh not that quack. No absolutely not, I wont be able to stand being in the same room with him. I'm not going to go anywhere near him. First of all the therapy should be banned for its ineffectiveness. Second it's abusive against autistic Equestrian citizens because it forbids stemming! If I had been forbidden to stem as a kid that that would have traumatized me. I can't do it Celestia. Being autistic myself it scares me that there are people who exist that are like this. Twilight said as she turned around to sit down in her chair but the princess.
"Twilight please you have to help me with this! I can't debate him because I'm the princess and it would be against protocol to debate one of my subjects, now there's a lot of people that agree with you that it's a quack practice but your the only one who has the most knowledge about it! Please Twilight I can't stand this quack. Besides if I try to ban that therapy then its proponents will attack me and oust me. I can ban it once it becomes unpopular among its own supporters. You might be the one to persuade those people to give up defending it. You can also make him look like a huge jerk because it will look bad for him as an autistic abuser debating an autistic woman! Princess Celestia said.
Twilight sighed as she listened to Celestia. She admitted that Celestia had a good point and Twilight was against the therapy so this might be a good chance to stand up for her belief. Twilight looked at Celestia as she knew that she was the only one that Celestia trusted with this.
"Alright I'll do it...ill need to write down my arguments for the debate though which will take some time to do. I'll need bar charts made up so I can cite those to look at to help back up my claim and I'll need other papers as well that will back up my claim. How much time do I have to prepare?" Twilight said. Celestia responded to her.
"You have at least two weeks to prepare your argument for the debate. You'll probably meet the professor before then. Just to remind you the professor is really smart but also ignorant. I'm counting on you Twilight!" Celestia said. Celestia left and Twilight closed her door and slammed her hoof on the table in frustration.
She couldn't believe this! She didn't have time to debate some moron who thinks that he's smarter than everyone else. She hated that Equestria's citizens were buying his made junk. She couldn't understand why Celestia just couldn't reform the therapy community in Equestria as that would solve this whole issue.
"Twilight are you okay? I heard a slam sound? You look very upset. Should I help you or anything or...." Starlight Glimmer asked. Twilight shook her head at her as she could not believe she had to debate an idiot about something that was so dumb.
"I have to debate Professor Berry Bubble in two weeks over his so called therapy that he and a bunch of other parents like to parade around." Twilight complained, Starlight knew exactly who she was talking about.
"Oh yeah him....Twilight you will wipe the floor clean with him. He won't have any courage to come back after you use facts! Your the most smartest woman that I know. He will be begging to run away half way through the argument. You being high fuctioning will work to your advantage." Starlight teased. Twilight shook her head.
"I don't know Starlight more and more people have come to his defense in recent years...I might be laughed off stage...." Twilight said with a self defeating attitude but Starlight shook her head as she looked Twilight in the eyes.
"Twilight listen to me. You are the smartest individual I know. Me and your friends are going to be there to support you. I'll even help you prepare that argument. Professor Berry Bubble won't stand a chance. He already has opponents all throughout Equestria. You can do this Twilight." Starlight said.
Twilight smiled as she did feel a bit more encouraged by what her friend said so she thanked Starlight and then she got to work on her argument for the debate. When her other friends came to her castle Starlight and Twilight told them about the debate and it was going to begin.
Twilight's friends all remarked that they would be there to support Twilight as well and that they would be there to see the debate. Twilight was so nervous about the possibility of losing the debate but she knew that she had to win the debate as she needed to make sure that other people would be convinced by her not to buy into the quacks so called science.
With the debate only two weeks away she better start getting prepared as she needed all of the talking points that she needed to win for autistic children that were just like her.
A few days passed and it was finally time for the debate. Twilight already had her notes together for the debate and she was all dressed up for it. Twilight was a bit nervous but she knew hat she could change the way people thought about child facilitator therapy in Equestria.
Spike had left her place earlier as he wanted to be the first one to get a seat there, he probably wasn't the first one though as other people probably got seats before he got there but he was still early which he was happy about. Twilight looked at herself in the mirror and realized she needed to fix her hair.
She combed her hair as best as she could and then headed on out for the debate. Twilight hoped that her other friends would be there as they had told her that they would be. As Twilight walked to the theater where the debate was being held people wished her good luck as she walked by them.
As she got closer to the theater she got quite nervous, she hoped that she wasn't hated for the stuff that she was about to say against the therapy as a lot of parents had their children involved in the therapy. She hoped that she wasn't ridiculed. She hoped that the population will see where she's coming from.
She finally entered the theater and that her friends were already seated, she saw Professor Berry Bubble standing by a chair on the stage as he was ready to sit down and debate her. Celestia saw her and led her to the curtain that would lead to the stage. Before she was able to go up Celestia spoke to her.
"Twilight I hope you brought your talking points and have them organized and ready as Professor Berry Bubble isn't a joke. You can't let Professor Berry Bubble beat you. If you sway the audience then the populace will root for me to ban it and I will ban it. If he wins however the therapy will stay legal. Do your best." Celestia said. Twilight took a deep breath and exhaled as she spoke.
"I'll try Celestia." Twilight said. Celestia went to sit with Luna as they both sat by Twilight's friends. Twilight took another deep breath and went around to the back and entered through there. She hid behind the curtain and the moderator introduced her. The audience clapped for her and then she stood across from Professor Berry Bubble. The both shook hands as it was courtesy for opponents to shake hands before a polite debate and both sat down.
"Twilight Sparkle it's so nice you can make it this morning. Before we get started I just want to lay down a few rules. Be polite to eachother I don't want any name calling during the debate. You both have all the at least almost an hour to present your case. I want the audience to be completely silent for the entire debate but the audience can clap for both of you at the end. There are no breaks. Water is allowed though and you both have a bottle of it so that you can drink them when your voice gets sore from talking. Twilight Sparkle you get to start the debate." The moderator said as he sat down. Twilight and Berry Bubble both turned on their microphones and Twilight began her introduction.
"I want to thank you all for coming here to hear us debate and I would like to thank the moderator and my opponent for letting me be here. I want to start by saying that the future lays with our children even the autistic children that is why our nation needs to change the way we do therapy with autistic children. Thank you." Twilight said as she finished her introduction. The audience clapped for her and then Professor Berry Bubble spoke.
"I would like to thank my opponent for wanting to come to debate me and I would like to thank each and everyone of you for coming to hear us debate. I hope that this debate will settle this issue for good as we must think of the children that are suffering with autism. We must take care of them and we must guide them. Thank you." Berry Bubble said.
Twilight got very angry she hated this man. She was going to win the debate and the therapy would be banned. Berry Bubble was going to be discredited as well. She calmed herself and began to present her case.
"I want to start by saying that our autistic children must know that they are cared for and loved by putting them through loving care and better therapy. I will change the way we look at autism for ever. After tonight we will always look at the therapy differently. Look there are only a million people who say that child facilitator therapy works and over there's a billion who says it doesn't. And it doesn't work people. We can't just put autistic children in rooms and teach them to speak as it harms them to speak. It's just abusive and wrong." Twilight said Berry Bubble waited for her to finish and spoke.
"Well I want to start on a different note. This therapy is loving and it cares about autistic children if it didn't why are there so many therapists who practice it? Child facilitator teaches autistic children to speak. Without facilitated therapy all of the children who learned from them wouldn't have ever been able to speak. It works it's been proven to work. No abuse goes on inside the rooms it's practiced in. Twilight and other opponents don't know what they are talking about." Berry Bubble said as he finished.
"No it's far from loving and caring. The therapists don't know what the hell they are doing, child facilitated therapy only does harm to children. The reason why so many therapists practice it is because they are brainwashed to do it. Yeah the children do learn but at a cost. Abuse does go on as children are prevented from stimming. It's outrageous and harmful. Stimming makes them happy! Sure they shouldn't stim twenty four seven but they should stim when it's okay!" Twilight said. Berry Bubble responded.
"No stimming has got to stop some time in their lives Twilight. What in Equestria do you want the autistic population do. Stim twenty four seven? No I don't think so. They'll never get anywhere if they do that all day. Facilitated communication therapy teaches them to reduce it. They don't stop it they just reduce it!" Professor Berry Bubble said.
"Yes they do try to stop it. Children are punished when they stim. It's awful what goes on but of course you and the so called therapists if that's what they really are just don't care because you are all in it for the money. Child facilitator therapy is abusive and it needs to stop!" Twilight said.
"Facilitator therapy teaches the children to be normal for society. It teaches them to act the way other people their age act. But no you and these so called opponents say other wise. Second of all children aren't punished for stimming so where ever the hell your getting that from its wrong all wrong." Professor Berry Bubble said.
"Oh yeah and how do you feel about therapists putting children through constant therapy that goes on for hours in which the children are corrected until they do the right thing huh? Sure I agree that children should learn skills. All children do even autistic ones but they shouldn't learn it by putting them through hours of repressing stemming and trying to get them to do other so called "normal" human behaviors?" Twilight countered.
"The therapy doesn't go on for hours Twilight. Their are special times set for this therapy. You make it sound like children do it all day until they make progress and that isn't true, the therapists stop and do it another day. You make it seem like torture Twilight and that bewilders me." Professor Berry Bubble said. They then went on to the next subject.
"Okay well how do you think about trying to make autistic children normal? Is it so wrong to be different? Is it bad to be different? Sure the severe ones should definitely get help but the ones that have some behavior problems and social skills are taught to suppress who they are. They are taught how to think. It's manipulation and abuse." Twilight debated.
"It's not manipulation or abuse Twilight. You just simply don't get it. The therapy just tries to help children succeed in life who have autism. If we just do away with the therapy since the therapy is bad then how the hell do we teach autistic children to have some sort of productive life?" Professor Berry Bubble said. Twilight got extremely angry.
"Yes it most certainly is abuse. This is what I hate about you and these so called therapists! You make it seem like stimming is evil and unnatural! We teach them to have a productive life by loving and caring about them not by punishing them for stimming. Look I don't have a problem with teaching autistic people to try and succeed in life. That would be great if we could do that but we can't just do it by this therapy. The therapy has no love in it." Twilight ranted.
"I did not say stimming was unnatural! Stop putting words in my mouth Twilight Sparkle I said that we should reduce it and train them the basics so that they can live some life for themselves. And stop saying we punish them for stimming! We never punish children for stimming. At least I don't and if therapists do punish children for that then I don't support that but we at least have to teach them how to act in society so that they don't regress. Why do you want autistic people to be so regressed as this therapy helps them progress?" Professor Berry Bubble said.
"The so called therapy does far from helping them progress in life. Second of all I did not put words in you're mouth alls I said was is that during some cases children have thought to have been punished that's all I said. Also if you don't believe they are punished then take a look at the pictures taken during some sessions! The evidence is there so don't try to deny it." Twilight debated.
"I don't see the evidence that your talking about Twilight Sparkle. Your acting like crime scenes go on during these sessions. What can I say that will convince you people that this therapy works? What are we going to do exactly? Are we going to teach children to succeed in life or let them be and watch them fail. Alls this therapy does is teach them motor skills and how to act in life that's all." Professor Berry Bubble said.
"Then seek out the evidence then and see for yourself that the evidence is there. You can't convince me because I know it's not therapy. It's a scam! All therapists want is you to pay them money! And people are wasting their money on this sham as they are giving it all to the crazies who say that children must be taught or fail in life and they don't fail in life as you have no proof of autistic children not taking the therapy and failing in life. They might be great successes. So you don't know for sure." Twilight debated.
"Therapists that use this therapy aren't all like that. These therapists teach autistic children just how to live like they are supposed to live and they prevent them from regressing. They teach them how to speak." Professor Berry Bubble explained.
"Right sure they do and they also taught them to do laundry to right? Sweet Celestia I can't believe what your saying. They don't teach them how to speak. They cause the children trauma when they force them to speak." Twilight stated.
"So your saying that they should be quiet for the rest of their natural lives right Twilight? You are very ignorant! Besides your not autistic so you wouldn't understand the therapy." Berry Bubble said. Twilight grew furious.
"What did you just say about me? Are you assuming how I am? You have no idea what I'm like. You are ignorant sir! For a professor you aren't very smart. Don't assume that I'm not autistic. I am autistic! I have high functioning autism! Don't ever assume anything about anyone as you don't know. You crossed the line professor!" Twilight angrily ranted as she tried to be as polite as possible.
"I'm sorry Twilight. Your right I shouldn't assume anything about you. I didn't know you were autistic so I apologize if I offended you for saying you weren't on the spectrum. That wasn't right of me to say. I crossed the line and I shouldn't have done that. Alls I'm saying is that if this therapy was banned then what do you expect us all to do with autistic children. They won't make any progress if the therapy is done away with." Berry Bubble debated.
"Your apology has been accepted. Just don't ever assume something like that again. Anyway they will make progress if you treat them with kindness teach them in a way that is different from this therapy. They should be taught with patience over the years on how to communicate not in a few weeks. And they should be allowed to stim all they want but they should be taught to act politely in public while they are stimming. That's what I think should be done." Twilight said.
"Thanks I'm glad you were able to forgive me. It does take years. Also for the last time they are allowed to stim but not to the point where it distracts them. I know you think that your way is the good way but it's not." Berry Bubble said. Twilight rolled her eyes as discreetly as possible.
"My way is good way I think and that shall be decided by the people. We will see if you are right." Twilight said.
"They have no idea what they are doing and you have no idea what they are doing if they ban this therapy or make it so that they are allowed to stim wherever they want they will never get better." Berry Bubble said.
"Yes they will get better by being taught with love and care and patience. They can be taught how to act correctly but not to the point they are repressed from who they are." Twilight said.
"I'm sorry you two but the debate is now over. I would like everybody for coming out to see you two debate. The decision is left in Equestria's hands on what to do with the therapy." The moderator said. Everybody left the theater and they all waited for a Celestia to decide on the therapy's future.
Celestia had a long talk with all of the mayors in Equestria and they took a survey among people who had tried the therapy. People who had tried it said that it didn't work but some said it did. Some civilians said that they want to keep it while others said that they wanted it banned.
Twilight waited with nervousness as she prepared to hear Celestia's decision and soon it came as Celestia had decided to ban facilitator therapy to popular demand. Celestia banned all aspects of the therapy.
The therapists who had practiced it where outraged and some parents of autistic children were wondering what they were going to do now for their children and Celestia told them that she had an answer for that.
Celestia worked with her advisors to create a new slower therapy that wouldn't push children to hard to learn how to act. The therapy was spread out over a few years Instead of a few days. Of coarse the therapists who had practiced the old therapy were upset and ranted that Celestia was making a mistake but Celestia told them to just get over it.
Twilight had realized she had saved all of the autistic children from getting tortured, she became a controversial figure among behavior scientists and therapists as some of them argued that Twilight had caused Celestia to ruin autistic children's lives while others said that she did the right thing.
Over the next few years children who took the slower less cruel therapy did better and all of the old discredited therapists who had tried facilitator therapy with children either went into hiding from ridicule, ranted against Celestia and Twilight or changed their minds and agreed with Celestia's decision. The opponents got some supporters but never enough to change anything.
Twilight's friends congratulated Twilight for changing life for autistic children for the better. Twilight was so glad that she had convinced Celestia to change the way therapy was done as they had saved the autistic children from the quack therapy they had been forced to endure. They had changed life for the better.
