Ideas should be relevant to the topic.
I would say that most likely he was once a member of the military to use such a figure of speech, but also meaning that discretion would be the better part of valour to proceed with doing something positive for the community and win their hearts that way and perhaps influence their religion that way.
The theme is to not care what people think! Honestly the little girl is embarrassed because her mother works. The reason for that being that they're Chinese and she believes it's "not American" for the mother to work. (: She also thinks she needs the umbrella to fit in, and that it would solve all her problems- but she doesn't!
I hope all is well, and you pass! Good luck, rockstar! (: