Difference and Inner City

My friend Drew, who is a biology teacher in the inner city, noticed that his students were all afraid to be different. So one day he went into a classroom wearing yellow pants. A student said, “Mr. A*, you are wearing yellow pants.” Drew responded with, “Why are you so afraid to be different?”

This question is valid everywhere; but it is especially valid in the inner city. These people want you to be gangsters and drug-dealers. Basically, they want you to be scum. And the only way not to be scum in such settings is to reduce the coercion by those who want everyone to be scum and to have the courage to be different.

When the culture around you is evil, the only solution is to not take part of that culture. This is the case regardless of whether this culture is inner city or upper-class Episcopalians. The culture that wants to see people be gangsters and drug-dealers is evil. And it takes courage to stand up to such an abomination.

The courage to be different is the essence of liberty; and the more people do it the more there is improvement in human condition. A teacher who wears yellow pants shows to the students that they do not have to be controlled by the worst elements among them.

And that is a service done to the community; but it is also a service done to liberty and intelligence in the country that claims to value both.