We sure have a lot of haters and cruel people showing off in public — mocking those who wear masks, killing people who tell them to mask-up, and generally sneering at the rest of us. To better understand racism, I turn to song for an explanation.

You’ve Got to be Carefully Taught, written by Richard Rogers & Oscar Hammerstein for their 1949 broadway musical, South Pacific.

Performed here by James Taylor.

or if you are history buff, watch the composer and lyricist introduce the song themselves.

Lyrics

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made
And people whose skin is a different shade
You’ve got to be carefully taught

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late
Before you are six or seven or eight
To hate all the people your relatives hate
You’ve got to be carefully taught
You’ve got to be carefully taught