If you run into Tyler Chase Harper, tell him thanks.

Tyler will be the 16-year-old Los Angeles high school student wearing a T-shirt that says, “Homosexuality is shameful.” At least that’s the shirt he was wearing on April 21 when high school and college students around the country held a day of silence to show support for homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender students.

Not Harper, though. He didn’t agree with that sentiment, and he wasn’t willing to ignore it.

Instead, he donned the T-shirt with the contrary expression, and for this exhibition of religious belief, the Poway Unified School District suspended him. Now he’s suing the district, saying it violated his civil rights.

Good for him. No, not for his intolerant opinion but for his readiness to exercise his free-speech rights and fight for their protection.

It takes courage to go against the grain, and no one knows that better than minority populations – gays, ethnic and religious groups among others. Those who ought to appreciate Harper’s stand most are the very people who are in the path of his scorn.

They know something about going against the grain. About struggling to overcome oppression and discrimination. Freedom of expression is central to such struggles, and those who are in the greatest peril when it’s weakened are those who lack the numbers to achieve their ends through customary political strategies.

They must appeal for public support by speaking, protesting, demonstrating. If they expect others to recognize their mistreatment and do something about it, they first have to generate awareness, usually by being noisy, stubborn and often disagreeable.

It is in their interest – and in a just society’s – that all opinions, including misguided ones, have a fair airing. Justice will stand on its own feet only when individual citizens such as Tyler Chase Harper have the right to be wrong.