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When I was growing up. My dad was on his way to Uncle Phil’s birthday party when my sister appeared in the hallway heading for the door. “And where do you think you are going young lady?” “I’m going over to my girlfriend house and then we are going to the record shop.” “Not dressed like that you’re not!” “But Dad, this is how all my friends dress.” “I know, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about that. Some of your girlfriends’ dress like little tramps and I don’t think you should be spending time with that type of fast crowd.” “Daddy, shame on you, you are being prejudice.” “I am what?” “Have you ever heard the saying, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover,” My dad laughed out loud, “You don’t have any idea at all as to what that means, how it should be applied or even where it came from.” “Sure, I do. It means you shouldn’t judge someone by the way they dress or how they do their hair.” “You are sort of on the right track, but you are going sideways.” “I am not going sideways.” “Where ever did you learn that old saying?” “I learned it in school.” “In class or on the playground? Never mind it doesn’t matter. Let me tell you how that old saying came about, when and where it applies and how it should be used.” “I suppose now you are going to tell me something I don’t know?” “Don’t let that smart mouth of yours get you into more trouble than you can handle.” “OK, I’m sorry Daddy.” “That saying came about back in the 1930’s during the depression at a time when nearly one fourth of all the workers were unemployed because there weren’t enough jobs to go around. Almost twenty five percent of all workers were out of work. That meant the only money coming into many households was from odd jobs, charity, panhandling or begging. Now in addition to that half again as many people were only earning enough to eat two meals a day and not much more. So, many people did not have money to buy new clothes. They would wear old clothes, hand-me-downs, home-made clothes and left over garments from the church. Style and fashion were not taken into consideration by those people generous enough to donate to the clothing drives. Both your grandmothers made clothes for us to ware. My mother used to make bed sheets by sewing old flower sacks together. Realistically, as long as your clothing keeps you from catching pneumonia and are clean and mended, they should be acceptable to everyone. However, some ignorant people especially children, would tease and make fun of those less fortunate than themselves for their lack of fashion and style even though we had no choice in the matter. We didn’t choose to go around in ill-fitting hand me downs. We didn’t like having to stuff cardboard in the soles of our shoes to cover the holes. But when your father and mother can’t find enough work to feed the family you don’t have any choice in the matter. THAT is where that old saying came from. Now, what it really means is that you should never judge someone based on things that they have no choice in. However, you should judge someone based on the choices that they do make. “ “Oh, I see.” “The next question I have for you is, are any of your girlfriends so poor that they have no choice but to prance around the neighborhood with very little clothing on?” “No, of course not. But that does not mean we are tramps or fast, Daddy.” “I know dear, but that is how your friends choose to appear, they are deliberately projecting an image to the rest of the world by which they will be judged, like it or not.” “That’s not fair.” “Whoever told you that this world is fair? Everybody prejudges everybody else whether you know it or not and it’s something that we all do. We have to do it to survive. If you walk down the street in the bad part of town late at night and there is a group of six teenage Negro boys walking toward you, don’t you make a reasonable judgment of them based on how they are dressed, how they wear their hair, their demeanor and their expression? If all six boys are wearing suits and ties, caring bibles and walking quietly and normally don’t you judge them to be much less of a threat than six hoodlum types dresses in leather jackets with long hair, carrying beer bottles, loudly cursing, swearing and carrying on?” “Of course.” “So, if you don’t want to be judged as something you are not...” “But that’s the style; you don’t want me to be out of fashion, do you?” “Do you want to be judged as one of those ignorant people that tease and make fun of those who lack style and fashion?” “Well, no.” “Then chose not to dress or act like one. Now go change.” “OK daddy.” “IF IT LOOKS LIKE A DUCK AND QUACKS LIKE A DUCK, IT WILL BE JUDGED TO BE A DUCK!”