In Defense of Mandarin Oranges

In my last blog, I wrote of “Old Orange People” who were reluctant to join the younger “Green People” in creating a Rainbow Culture. 

I wasn’t fair.  I forgot the varied gifts offered by the Orangers—values that were frequently “dissed” by the Greeners.  

No wonder the old folks held back!  These elders, “Mandarin Orangers,” were wisely setting conditions on their joining the new culture.  They said,  “Recognize and honor the values that we bring to this planet, and then we’ll gladly join you.”

What values?  What gifts?   You should have heard the arguments that arose! 

•  “Why don’t you just get on our bandwagon?  Don’t you understand that we’re the wave of the future?” many young Rainbow People asked. 

•  “Why are Old Orangers so stubborn about apologizing for how violent and cruel their Orange Culture was?  Don’t they feel ashamed of how Orangers exploited and oppressed the Green People of this planet?” many Greeners asked. 

•  “Why did you come here anyway—wasn’t your own planet enough?” challenged some elderly Orangers who had joined the Rainbow Culture.

After much pouting, weeping and gnashing of (false) teeth, the Mandarin Orangers replied to the Greeners and the Rainbow People:

•  “Our civilization believed in the value of individual conscience and the human right to be ‘different’ even when everybody tells you to go along with the crowd, majority, or boss.  We learned as kids that everybody has unique wisdom, and nobody should tell anyone else how to think or feel or speak.”

•  “Don’t you remember how many times we’ve already apologized?   And why do you think we had no role in the non-violent movement for human equality and freedom?  We were the ones who started the whole Rainbow movement, in partnership with Greeners!  Don’t you read your history any more?”

•  “We came here because our planet was unlivable.  Humans had wrecked the ecology.  We hoped we could take the lessons we’d learned and apply them somewhere else.   We have tried hard—“ 

And then the chief Mandarin apologized once again:

But we forgot that nobody likes foreigners coming in and bossing them around like slaves!  We are sorry!  But you-all have to learn that nobody, and no culture, can evade these natural laws:  

Any of us, and any culture, can become violent, cruel, and dictatorial if it feels threatened.  All cultures exploit nature until they bump into its limits.   We old folks are visible evidence that nobody and no society can grow forever.  Now we’re ready to join the Rainbow crowd whenever you can accept us just the way we are.    

And so it is.  Blessed be.