The 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific included America's great hymn protesting intolerance, "You've Got to be Carefully Taught". In this musical, Lt. Cable sang the song to explain to Emile De Becque how we are learn prejudice from early childhood. While it specifically applied in the show to "people whose eyes are oddly made and people whose skin is a different shade" it was a universal theme. It is especially applicable today after the joyous repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell". And it occurs to me that one of the show's strongest characters, Luther Billis, was more than likely imagined to be gay by the extremely liberal Oscar Hammerstein II, Despite Billis' eager promotion of the beautiful young girls on Bali Ha'i, he was much more interested in the the Boar's Tooth ceremony and the chance to buy grass skirts for resale. This only reminds us that heroic gay men and woman have been hiding their true identities while they fought valiantly in all our wars.