It's not good to be a fruit these days. The news headlines are rampant with reports of fruits upsetting the fabric of North American society. Fruits have been amongst us since .... well, forever. Fruits have never harmed anyone and it's time that I have my say and set the record straight.
It is the actions and ignorance of a few misguided people that have served to give rise to the ground swell of negativity against certain types of fruits. Not all fruits suffer from the same prejudice. Most fruits go about their business and cause little or no waves. They add to the flavour and well being of society. Fruits enrich us personally and are an essential ingredient to living a balanced and healthy existence.
From time to time, as is the case right now, certain events take place that serve to place fruits in the lime light. In most instances, the stories are positive in nature and serve to increase our knowledge and acceptance of having all types of fruits in our lives. The stories that are in vogue right now cast fruits in a negative role. These particular fruits are inherently good and well meaning. It is in the way the facts are being presented that tends to put more weight on the specific characteristics of the these fruits versus concentrating more on the essence of the behaviour that resulted in the fruits becoming involved in the first place.
What I am saying is that the fact they are fruits really has no bearing on the moral fabric of the story or on the societal issues that have reared their ugly heads. It is too easy to lose sight of the real issue at hand and to use the mere presence of the fruit to cloud and confuse the questions that need to be answered. The fruits become have become scapegoats for our failing, reluctance or inability to deal with the more difficult and pressing problems that have been presented and need to be addressed.
Be it the ground hugging cantaloupe of the New England area or the easily bruised banana from London, Ontario, fruits are being unfairly labelled and criticized. Is it the fault of the cantaloupe that food handlers were ignorant and uneducated about germ control and may have failed to wash their hands? Is it the fault of the banana that a solitary hockey spectator is so blinded by prejudice that he choose to toss one at a player, who is black?
My message is loud and clear - LEAVE THE FRUITS ALONE. Instead, concentrate on the true essence of the message that is being broadcast by these incidents, which is human ignorance and prejudice.
About the author:
The writer, Jim Nixon, is a husband, father and believer in the continued evolution of mankind as a species of acceptance and foresight. He likes all types of fruit.
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