Is longer hair less threatening, or am I tilting at windmills?

My son hasn't been to our local barber, Barber Love - an African and Latin American Barber - for over two months. He is growing his hair out which is what most boys his age seem to be doing. He has had a number of positive comments on how nice it looks longer and curlier, particulary from our friends who happen to be white. When my wife and I see it, while we like it, we don't think it looks as nice as when it is cut tight to his head, a look that is decidedly more in keeping with his African American cultural heritage. My wife says I use a microscope to look at these issues. She is probably right. I just think that he looks his best when he has a nice tight cut. I think when it grows out it looks less ethnic. I then wonder if the positive comments are because he looks less ethnic. Either way, he is adorable.