So Sal's lies are good to protect himself no matter who else it hurts but Don's lies to protect himself are bad.
That's a clever double standard, isn't it?
No, not all of Sal's lies are "good," but they're certainly more understandable considering the era into which Sal was born. Had he been born 40 years later and married to conceal his identity, I'd be far more critical. Clients could fire you for being gay and you had no legal protection. Your own company wouldn't stand behind you and you could easily lose your job. People
feared gays, especially gay men. Also, Sal is Catholic with a very religious mother--also not conducive to coming out. Coming out in 1963 is not the same as coming out in 2009. It was an entirely different world.