Why Can't You Be Like Me?

It's another morning, and he's sitting on the corner
With his cardboard sign beggin' for another quarter
He doesn't shave, and he doesn't even bathe
If the light doesn't change soon he'll be headed my way

She got a veil on her face, there's a rag around his head
And nobody understands a single word that they've said
But we're all watchin' them and whisperin' suspiciously
'Cause we're the self-appointed experts on homeland security

Hey you're different -- you don't look like me
Your religion is wrong and your philosophy
It scares me, so I disagree -- why can't you be like me?

She wears a ring in her nose and her lips are painted blue
But I can't seem to look deeper than the skin of her tattoos
I'm closing my mind to everything that she believes in
She's a liberal, radical, atheist vegan

You're different -- you don't look like me
Your religion is wrong and your philosophy
It scares me, so I disagree -- why can't you be like me?

They got the radio up, and their pants are saggin' down
They all got combs stuck in their afros, stuck in ghetto-town
I'm feelin' kind of nervous and I don't know what to call it
But I'm crossin' the street with my hand over my wallet

You're different -- you don't look like me
Your religion is wrong and your philosophy
It scares me, so I disagree -- why can't you be like me?

Well they locked him away for fifty years and a day
Now he's out, and he's lookin' for some work and some pay
But not around our street, and not on our beat
'Cause a criminal once is a criminal always

You're different -- you don't look like me
Your religion is wrong and your philosophy
It scares me, so I disagree -- why can't you be like me?

Why can't you be like
Why can't you look like
Why can't you act like
Why can't you dress like
Why can't you think like me?
Why can't you be like me?
Why can't everybody be like me?