Boyce Watkins Blog Sharing the mind of one of America's leading black scholars

1. 

   Lawyesworld
   March 17th, 2011 - 13:52

   What????!!!! LOL. omg. That Bill Cosby. LOL.

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2. 

   David Larrick Smith
   March 17th, 2011 - 13:54

   Man Dr. Watkins…you always seem to have a great handle on the issues. I agree with your summations regarding Cosby and Simmons 100%….very well stated. Thank you for all that you do.

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3. 

   Charles Gilmore
   March 17th, 2011 - 14:07

   What music does Russell Simmons put out? He sold Def Jam years ago and hasn’t been a producer or a music executive in years. You talking about music like Run-DMC, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Slick Rick, and the Beastie Boys?

   The music doesn’t teach anyone how to be a better criminal or transform women into hoes and bitches. It’s the environment. The environment was going to hell before “gangsta rap” was invented thanks to the gangs, CIA placing drugs in the community like crack, heroin, poor education centers, liqour stores on every corner, brothers going to jail chasing the American dream the fast way, no fathers in the homes, no positive role models inside the physical communities because all the doctors and lawyers moved to suburbia.

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   • 

     Jacque
     March 17th, 2011 - 16:14

     Sorry, but Gangsta Rap helped and is helping to send the children to a version of hell. It allows the young women and young men to adopt, foster and maintain a lazy, negative and destructive attitude about themselves, their lives and the lives of others. I despise this music. Having grown up in the projects, I can say 1st hand that I ‘m glad I left. I didn’t leave my people, not never, but I left that mind set and neighborhood. We must strive for more and teach our young people that they are more than their circumstances. Gangsta Rap is irresponsible and full of contradictions and I’m sick of the weak ass attitudes it promotes.

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       Charles Gilmore
       March 17th, 2011 - 16:33

       Fact is that suburban whites are the biggest consumer of rap music and concerts. Yet you don’t see the same things going on in their communities that go on in the black community.

       No one I ever came up around said I’m going to join a gang and/or sale drugs because so and so rapper did it. The black community was falling apart way before “gangsta rap” went mainstream in the early 90s.

       Our neighborhoods have been devastated by drugs and the chase for money. Leading to escalating violence and deaths. As the situation gets more desperate the worse it gets because the cycle is repeating itself.

       If we are going to blame rap for what is going on now, what genre of music do we blame for the 70s and 80s? Marvin Gaye, Parliament, Prince, The Jackson 5? Are they responsible for all the killing that took place in the 70s and the sharp increase in the 80s? No they are not. Is Scarface the reason little Cubans grow up to be in the drug trade? Is the Godfather the reason for the Italian Mob? No and no.

       The deterioration of the black community was coming about way before “gangsta rap.” The crack trade completely devastated those neighborhoods. It led to an escalation of violence. It led to more children growing up with their father either dead or in prison. There were no male role models for little boys to look up to, show them how to be a man, and how to treat a woman. There were no male role models for little girls to see how a woman should be treated by a man. So now more little girls are having babies at young ages by little boys that don’t know how to be a man because they were never shown. This predates “gangsta rap”

       The economic opportunities have dried up. The education that those kids receive is a crime. They often graduate at an 8th grade level if they graduate at all. Single uneducated babies, having uneducated babies.

       It is easy to blame rap, but until we address the root of the problem, we won’t fix the result of the problem. Take away the crime by cleaning up the neighborhood and educate these kids, show them a different way, then “gangsta rap” doesn’t exist!!

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4. 

   Karen Simmons
   March 17th, 2011 - 14:45

   Bill Cosby told the truth and it hurt so bad that it cut to the core. Instead of dealing with true issues, as we as African Americans choose to do far too often, we got emotional about the issues instead of impacting CHANGE.

   @ Charles, you can hold on to that myth all you want to, music is very powerful. Spoken words to song even more powerful. Hip Hop caused me to get out of radio advertising. I guess you would say, commercils DON’T cause people to by certain products…why do opeople spend billions on adveertising and why do folks talk about the Super Bowl Ads, weeks after the game has been played.

   Self deception, the worst deception of all!!!

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5. 

   Malik
   March 17th, 2011 - 15:13

   The Grand Reaper (Cosby) is at it again I see. Dr. Boyce, as always your critique of the situation regarding this exchange is on point. I do want to add as the other brother mentioned in another comment that Russell did sale his record business. The that produced the not so favorable lyrics from Urban artist some time ago. Besides, if he had not sold the record company he would be in violation of what he preaches, lives, and writes about today; a life of good karma, yoga, meditation, and positive energy.

   Cosby is still bitter over the “questionable” death of his son who appeared to be on his way to a fruitful life. Something just wasn’t right surrounding his death. There are many variables contributing to the plight of “us” that must be considered when casting a net of shame over young African American men and single black mothers.

   Let it go Cosby, no need to be vicious with that mouth…
   How soon we forget that bastard child you help produce, no time to throw stones!

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     aubrey jarrett
     March 17th, 2011 - 16:57

     Hey Malik, Dr. Cosby is from North Philly. By the wording of your response I can tell that you are not. I will send you a buck so you can purchase some class! Maybe you should find out what your name means.

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6. 

   alphamom
   March 17th, 2011 - 16:55

   It all comes back to reading–80% or more of the black incarcerated males are illiterate. Literacy rates are linked to high school drop outs, low employment, failed education and incarceration. Yes, the criminally poor public school system carries some blame, but it’s PUBLIC school–WE THE PEOPLE…demand better education, teach your little kids to read, read yourself!–there are black public schools that succeed, send kids to college, give them the opportunity to achieve what they want to—but it doesn’t happen because someone ELSE makes it happen–YOU have to do it–BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE IN THE WORLD (Ghandi)–

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7. 

   alphamom
   March 17th, 2011 - 17:07

   That comment just shows that Bill Cosby is human. Aren’t his comments in the vein of Marcus Garvey? Yes–societies, and not just American society–has instititionalized the destruction of the black family, the black female and the black male–but it is up to the same people to say, STOP–and live their lives the way they want them to be. I teach college freshman, many of them african americans from the inner city, and they come to college ill-prepared in terms of math and reading and writing skills–prepared at the sixth grade level, most of them. And yes, I tell them to call their old high school principals and school boards and complain–but those students are in college and they are determined to learn. They put in more than extra hours correcting their academic weaknesses and this takes YEARS of hard work before they are at a college level–they are funded by public money in a public university but it is their individual decision to be there and to work hard. They are creating the life they want to live.
   Now as far as all that bitch and ho language in the music–I hate it and I hate the way men and women, boys and girls absorb it and use it. But I believe in meeting free speech with more free speech. Some of these young people think that gender and race oppression is so far in the past that they can use these terms “ironically.” They need to be educated….I am a 47 year old white woman and I listen to the songs with my kids and their friends, who are all different races, and they sing the words and tell me to chill when I object…I like everything else about the songs…the music, the other words, etc, but why bitch and ho???? I wish I could time machine them back to the sixties and the seventies, not so long ago, where they could see why it’s not cool to use those words. I know I used to sing Mick Jagger’s “under my thumb” and not think about it….

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   • 

     WizardG
     March 18th, 2011 - 00:11

     The elite are destroying all of the advances many of the common citizens were beaten and died for. They take our tax and resource wealth and use it to conquer other nations and destroy their people and take their wealth.
     They lie and tell us things that create hatred and fear among us and between us, and reduce the ability of the people to find jobs, housing, education, and medical help. In its place they give us anger towards each other.

     Now that you know..Do you think it is as easy as saying “Stop”? Not only will you not say stop too loudly but you had better not have the confident ears of a million people or you will be sanctioned.
     Stop indeed! You can live your life here the way they let you live your life and if they want to reduce you to rubble they can do that too! They have already reduced the populace mindset to near rubble.

     There is improper access on purpose. Underfunding is on purpose. It is by design to keep ‘blacks’ “In Their Place”. Seems hard to believe…Right?

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8. 

   James hall
   March 17th, 2011 - 17:58

   Pls note that Freedom of Speech stills reigns across the land. Certainly Cosby is more than capable of expressing himself to anyone at any level in many ways, including the profane. So the choice of speech expression is moot and who really cares?
   Bottom line is, neither Cosby or Simmons “walks the walk” that their “talk” suggests. What has either of them done to help correct the problems they see in the Black community other than talk about it. Both of these guys would do well to have a chat with Jim Brown in LA and learn how to get their hands dirty and actually accomplish something good in their respective communities.
   Further, Cosby and Simmons’ do nothing really posture is nothing new! Every charismatic and prosperity (financial reward) Black preacher you see or hear is doing the same thing, specifically nothing for the community at large. In fact, these preachers are saying the same things as the gansta rappers say, “get rich or die trying” they are just using a “cleaner” set of words!
   Clearly, most black people do not act in their own best self interests and just as much driven by greed, lust and selfishness as the typical Caucasian who many black people try so hard and consistently to emulate and crave for their acceptance! We are still enslaved to the so-called “American Dream” that we don’t even know about in any real terms and that we certainly don’t understand. Look at all the “Niggas” in the white mega churches you see on TV! Of course, TD Jakes, Creflow Dollar, Eddie Long, et.al. are running the same game. Ever wonder why Jakes and Dollar are specifically targeting Black Women in their ministerial efforts? They know where the dollars are and who will willingly “sow seeds” outside their own communities at the drop of a hat!!! Honestly, so many of us are pathetic in our greed and evermore now in the name of Christ.

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     alphamom
     March 17th, 2011 - 20:27

     Bill Cosby did walk in the protests through the streets of North Philadelphia to encourage participation in education and I think he has given money to schools.

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     soulbro ian
     March 22nd, 2011 - 19:14

     True true well said sir, i was saying the same things for years and years, keep on writing what you write

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9. 

   AntBee
   March 17th, 2011 - 18:11

   Yes, our children do need protectors and advocates, and grown men will always call each other out of their name sometimes, even celebrities.

   However, you can’t blame Cosby for at least trying to bring some remedy to the awful situation of young black men slaughtering each other, and there is no doubt that the so called “gangster Rap” helped to bring our communities and young people down.

   We need to stop always placing the blame for our children’s negative behavior on “other” elements, and deal with our issues head on.

   Many of these so called parents are not parenting their children!

   It is time to stop blaming white folks and the system on all of our problems and face up to the fact that WE are the ones responsible for our children.

   At least Mr. Cosby spoke up at a time when it was certainly not a popular thing to do, and others should have been speaking out on it as well, but they did not want to rock the boat.

   Mr. Simmons and all of the rest of them who put out, or allowed to be put out the gangster rap crap to get out here in the first place. They knew exactly the harm it caused, and the many murders of our young black males, and other innocent black people.

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     soulbro ian
     March 22nd, 2011 - 19:17

     Its not rap that’s killing the black males, its lack of parental responsibility and also being told that black males are more likely to commit crime and also

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     soulbro ian
     March 22nd, 2011 - 19:21

     Also its the consist neglect of giving our children the support that they need to be well adjusted human beings, and the day that we do that, the world and our community will change. I am tired of those so called celebrities and scholars, telling us what we need to do and never support the causes, only to be noticed and not for the love what we all need,

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10. 

    Val
    March 17th, 2011 - 19:32

    I’m sure Mr. Simmons is a great guy. My only question is whether Mr. Simmons is better off due to the black community or if the black community better off due to him? How you answer that question is important. If he is better off, the question is did he take advantage of and misdirect priorities? If so, then I believe he may have misstepped. However, he is only one individual. Those that he potentially may have influenced should have had role models to guide them in the right direction. However, as we know, a lot of individuals do not have these role models. SO assuming we agree that he is aware the individuals he is attempting to influence with, for example the U.S.A. album (several songs about devil worship) which he produced, have insufficient role models, does he have culpability. While there is nothing wrong with making a buck, should we as a community endorse this behavior. The record should be clear that he dropped the label soon after the album was released. But were they dropped due to the message, or poor sales. I think he is one individual that is doing well. Hopefully, now that he has attained his wealth, is using his knowledge and his earnings from books and music to benefit the folks that supported him. He is majority owner of a website globalgrind.com. I think this site is relevant to the young folks out there. Hopefully his influence will help give a positive perspective that may be lacking in our community.

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    • 

      WizardG
      March 17th, 2011 - 23:56

      Mr. Simmons is on the right path to enlightenment. Many of us were born and raised with no parental leadership. Our parents were mostly born the same way as were their parents.
      If you were to continue backwards in time you would find our ancestors in a bad way. The wheels of a racist America not only turn slowly but we as a people will continue to suffer great loss and abuse as time in ‘America’ (and other areas where the Euro-Elite have conquered the people of color and taken their birthrights) will also.

      Mr. Simmons has shown that he has the will to find enlightenment whereas Mr. Cosby hasn’t realized what his own problems are and whether he is seeking true enlightenment and wisdom in regards to the actual conditions and reasons thereof of ‘black’ people in ‘America’.

      Cosby in his ignorance speaks without proper insight and does more disservice to ‘blacks’ than he can imagine, because of his notoriety and his ability to use widespread media. His message is twisted without his understanding of how it is that ‘African-Americans’ are in the state of affairs they are in.

      The president’s ‘State Of The Union’ address is never related to ‘America’ relative to its ‘Blacks’. That should sound-off some alarms to the general public, but alas the public at large is about as uninformed and dare I say, as ignorant as Mr. Cosby.
      He (Bill Cosby) won’t listen to anyone who has a different opinion of our status in a markedly racist society, and he really shows that he doesn’t care. Russell Simmons cares enough to try to discuss it with Mr. Cosby.
      Mr. Cosby would rather disrespect with prejudice instead of finding clarity and understanding. He actually delegates himself into the group that Clarence Thomas is a part of. The ‘Association of Uncle Toms’.

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      • 

        Val
        March 18th, 2011 - 15:35

        Hopefully this issue can enjoy continued discussion. Reasonable minds can differ. However, there is no need for us to throw each other under the bus.

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        jenkinsk
        March 24th, 2011 - 05:25

        The character of Uncle Tom, in the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin, was a proud and principled man. His character was respected by those who loved and hated him. Most black folk, to include myself, find the character of Uncle Tom disturbing because he took a lot of crap on the chin. However, the man stuck to his principles and values. He was morally courageous despite what some of us may choose to believe.

        Mr. Cosby has a long history of working hard to improve the lives of blacks in America. I do not believe he marched in the streets, or attended protest rallies. His work was accomplished behind the scenes in boardrooms in Hollywood. He refused to allow himself to be used and abused as a tool of white supremacy. To my knowledge I have no recollection of him acting like a stereotypical black Clown on stage, or portraying some less than human animal on screen. This cannot be said of a large population of black entertainers.

        In America young folk are allowed to speak freely when among elders. This is part of our problem. We seldom show respect for wisdom developed over time (age) in this country. Perhaps Russell Simmons and other alleged smart and intelligent young folk need to sit down at their elders feet, stop talking, and listen for a change — Even if we don’t like what is being said…

        Peace

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11. 

    David Myers
    March 17th, 2011 - 19:40

    Right on Bill!!! thats a universal expression,”Get the F— out of my face”. There is no misunderstanding of it’s meaning.Mr Simmons i’m pissed so leave me alone..

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12. 

    Kasheif
    March 17th, 2011 - 19:59

    I applaud you on your perception of these two gentlemen,and their diverse views on our black youth.Not all black kids are heading down a destructive path,some are actually trying to acheive some positive things in their lives.

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13. 

    Ivory-TC
    March 17th, 2011 - 21:02

    We all know that there are a lot of variables involved in how we got to where we are today. The question is, what are we going to do, to get where we want to be?

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14. 

    WizardG
    March 17th, 2011 - 23:22

    The conquer and abuse of ‘blacks’. It is meant to be this way!

    As the Euro-Elite (who’s wealth is as great as every tax, social security and country resource, plus the wealth from their own greedy theft accumulated coffers), continue a constant barrage of social attacks against the ‘black’ populous. Nothing and no one is safe.

    Slavery was the engine that created the ‘Americanized’ black man/woman. Everything that has transpired since then has been orchestrated much to our overall ignorance. This would be pointed out by our leaders who had the confidence of the masses of African-Americans, which is why they no longer exist or have been frightened into almost complete silence!

    It is not by accident that we have the kind of negative atmosphere we are surrounded by. Our ancestors suffered severely, we have suffered severely as our children will.

    When you see broken homes, confused, drugged, misled, abused, ignorant and totally broken lives trying to exist. Know that it has been perpetrated and kept active by conspiracy and scheme. These social problems would not exist without help from our benefactors (sarcastically referred to).

    Furthermore when our benefactors (the people who gave us our so-called freedom) get angry with us for rioting and burning and running visitors away from their country (causing them great financial loss). Their punishment is with extreme prejudice. Introduce massive drugs, incite hatred among each other, incarcerate massive lots of youth, remove successes of past struggles and continue to demean and degenerate us overall.

    The psychological attacks on us are so great that many of us believe it is our own fault. Just as many citizens of ‘America’ are led to believe that it is the worker’s etc., fault as the wealthy-elite steal our country’s wealth outright!

    African-Americans are not united and it is meant to be that way. The American people are not united and it is meant to be that way!

    Bill Cosby is the product of a confused section of the ‘black’ population who cannot equate our overall abuse with the right reasons or the right perpetrators. It is almost common in this society to blame the downtrodden for the wrongdoings of the ‘Elite’. It is a great psychological trick played on us all, but those of us who study this phenomenon can see it for what it is. A fierce attack on the citizenry (especially blacks for personal reasons) from every possible psychosocial-economical aspect.

    In every country there is a connected Cabal source. Most country leaders who tried to fight off the power of the ‘Eurocentric Elite’ (that have used commoners to fight their wars and steal whole countries) are either dead, imprisoned, exiled, too frightened to stop, or happy in their great complicity. As in Mubarak’s case he was happy, but now he must be replaced in due time. As in Gadaffi he tried to fight and his family members were murdered during U.S. bombing. These are African leaders. While countries housing people of color suffer at the hands of the Euro-Elite, European countries tend to be existing in near bliss.

    Haiti has been under-siege since the moment they defied France/U.S. powers. They know who is behind their suffering and poverty but cannot do a thing to stop it. Imagine that! A whole country unable to defend itself against the U.S./French Elite! So goes Somalia etc.

    Flashback to the ‘African-Americans in our country. Do you honestly believe that we are not being schemed upon? Every aspect of our lives has been analyzed by the best profilers. We have been picked apart and put back together so they know how to destroy us in at least fifty ways to Tuesday!

    By keeping themselves the focal point of good, power, and beauty, we are by default left out of the picture (ostracized) and set-upon in the most creative ways if not in some cases just shot, beaten, while the perpetrators easily excused. It is not by accident that music producers get richer using us to denigrate ourselves, and of course, without proper education, direction, and without massive psychological debriefing we are subjected to self-hatred and self-punishment also. [Poverty is a purposely imposed variable to keep a populace under control and in place].

    By rule if we only see the bombardment of the obvious beauty of our white family and very little praising of our black family on the U.S./World media we will be just as prone to see ourselves from a white perspective and follow a white oriented agenda and hate each other just as the media projects us. From much of this all things for those of us less fortunate go downhill.

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      jenkinsk
      March 24th, 2011 - 06:11

      I believe Mr. Cosby knows and understands full well what has happened, and what is happening to our people. While others were protesting in the streets Mr. Cosby fought battles for blacks folk in Hollywood executive boardrooms. He is a silly comedian, but I don’ believe he as ever portrayed a negative example of black folk in his career on stage and film.

      The problem with some black folk is that they don’t know when to keep their mouths shut. If we were a loyal and trustworthy people we would know to keep quite when approached by the media for a comment regarding another black person. If we have something to say we should take our concerns, and word directly to the person involved.

      In short, these disloyal and foolish Negroes who appear media Whores deserve to be told, “Get the FQ$^@ out of my face!”

      Unfortunately self serving, foolish, and immature Negroes talk to damn much. Negroes always want a spotlight or take a shot a looking like the HNIC.

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15. 

    Mike
    March 18th, 2011 - 22:14

    Not everyone is looking for approval from the ignorant hip-hop world just because it’s in style. Cosby doesn’t need these modern-day, cheezy, tasteless, nouveau riche niggers to agree with him.

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16. 

    mary derricotte
    March 19th, 2011 - 16:56

    I feel Mr. Cosby, what he is saying is you took the time to make the money from distribution of apparel and a theory that this type of indorsment of success is in the type of shoes you where. Right now youth go to school with pressures of not having a label that a people appreciate and are judged by this system. Russel Simmons is the Ultimate capitalist, unfortunately he does not really care for the community. I think Dr. Cosby has tried to give African Americans a guide to success and Russel has given a menu to how to eing a consumer.

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17. 

    Bill Oliver
    March 22nd, 2011 - 17:36

    Its all about money. Use it Rap to get paid.

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18. 

    soulbro ian
    March 22nd, 2011 - 19:02

    they are all hypocrites, we like to build people up, then pull them down, no one talks about al capone like that, look at what he did, and also there are many gangster films there are many injustices in the world, and we have to dwell on things like what people in the celeb world do, if we would all pay attention to detail, not what people have, rather what would keep people together and build rather than destroy, then we would embrace the love that we have in our hearts, but i don’t hear this talk, when bill cosby says things about the black youth, remember that he was one also, and as a big man, he made mistakes too, i like his wife’s balance of thought, and also i see a lot of people claiming to represent us, but they have nothing in common, or even the common decency to say that they don’t like even their own, oprah, and much more like to be liked in the mainstream, and when they diss the black brother, we are suppose to roll over and just fulfill what others think of us, its spoils what we, who are positive are trying to do, we have a lot to give, stop riding the celebrity bull, and come and have some real talk and give inspiration to others that are struggling with the conceived view, that they can never be any different and their goals is one of dreams not reality, how sad,

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19. 

    BroopsEroff
    May 9th, 2011 - 12:09

    Всем доброго времени суток !
    вот лето начинается, пожары на дачах и в лесу, хотелось бы поинтересоваться где можно пройти курсы ПТМ ?

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