See, in the 60's and 70's, the US ended up mired down in the Vietnam conflict. That prompted the hippie movement in the US to adopt the now-famous slogan, "make love, not war." That inevitably caused the more simple minded grunts to undue their bible belts and go looking or a little Cong man-meat. Well after more than a few boys came home in bags requiring very closed coffins and a few others had bizarre if somewhat disturbingly sensual experiences, they came home to find that their literalism was misplaced.

Feeling deeply embarrassed and insecure, they went through the four stages of shock.

Shock - the 80's AIDS epidemic
Denial - Don't ask, don't tell
Anger - the "Defense of Marriage Act"
and we're still waiting for acceptance.

And you always wondered what those curmudgeons had gotten up their butts.