Greta Thunberg is being manipulated

She isn’t disabled in the conventional sense of the world. Greta has Asperger’s syndrome, a condition that many great and highly intelligent people have and have had throughout global history. In fact, part of the condition is heightened intelligence and increased focus and drive. If anything, her condition has helped her accrue knowledge on the subject and should not be used as an argument against her strength as a messenger for environmentalism. ^[2] Framing Greta Thunberg’s rise in the international media to the forefront of the climate change movement as some sort of child abuse or the weaponization of an innocent 16-year-old is paternalism shrouded in the cloak of concern. No psychologists or medical professionals who work with children with Asperger’s have voiced their concerns. Nor does anyone that knows Greta harbour any concerns that her parents are using her as a pawn to boost their own public image or ensure their children and future generations maintain the limelight. ^[3] The concerns over Thunberg’s manipulation would carry more weight if the same news outlets and blogs weren’t simultaneously mocking her disability and mannerisms. The same pundits expressing concern are calling her names and comparing her UN speech to The Children of the Corn. This exposes their lack of concern and hypocrisy. They are the ones weaponising Greta to fuel division and undermine the youth climate movement. ^[4] Furthermore, the same people calling for Thunberg to rescind from the public spotlight, gleefully cheer on and encourage young conservative activists like CJ Pearson and Kyle Kashuv. If they don’t want young people seizing the microphone to promote political causes, why would they celebrate outspoken young conservative activists? Finally, suggesting Thunberg is merely a puppet ignores her genuine achievements. She has almost single-handedly united the global youth under a single aim: to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Her school strikes started with her sitting along outside the Swedish parliament and spread into an international movement. She is not a carboard cut-out, a puppet, a stooge, or a weapon of the left; she is the youth movement. She built it and she deserves the credit.

[Rejecting P1] She is not disabled in the conventional sense and has above average intellect. [Rejecting P3] Nobody who has worked with Greta or met Greta has said this.