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The pariahs of our college campuses


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Katherine Kersten: The pariahs of our college campuses

By Katherine Kersten, Star Tribune

Last update: October 24, 2007 – 7:39 PM

Over the years, Prof. Ken Doyle has seen a stream of students enter his office with a crestfallen look. The young undergraduates typically begin by saying they're worried about one of their professors. Doyle, who directs the communication research division at the University of Minnesota's School of Journalism and Mass Communications, has a good idea how the story will end.

The particulars differ, but the complaint is usually the same. "Some students tell of being mocked for holding views that differ from their professors'," Doyle says. "Some fear they are endangering their grades. Many say, 'I've figured out what the professor wants to hear and I just parrot back his ideology.'"

It's become a common complaint that U.S. campuses are home to a stifling liberal orthodoxy where contrary beliefs are persecuted. Doyle says it's no illusion.

A new film, "Indoctrinate U," documenting that atmosphere, opens near campus tomorrow.

Bethany Dorobiala, a senior political science major at the U of M, knows just what Doyle is talking about. Dorobiala was one of the few students who agreed to speak on the record about the problem.

In many courses, Dorobiala says, professors load up reading lists with books that reflect their ideological agenda. "If you speak up in class and present an alternative view, you may risk being ridiculed by a professor twice your age with a PhD.," she said. "Students who agree with the professor's politics are regularly praised and encouraged."

Dorobiala has encountered this disregard for intellectual diversity in classes outside of political science. "In geology class, I had a teacher who made side comments bashing President Bush," she said. A rigid orthodoxy prevails on issues as disparate as the death penalty and global warming, she says, and some professors regularly pontificate on topics outside their discipline.

"I definitely know of students whose grades have suffered because they became identified as a conservative in class," said Dorobiala. If this happens, it's "very difficult to defend yourself. The authorities -- your adviser, department chairs -- think you're complaining because you didn't do your work."

The university rarely receives official complaints about ideologically motivated grading and follows a regular investigative process when it does, says Jan Morse of the U's Student Conflict Resolution Center.

Dorobiala's only solace is her work with College Republicans, where she can trade war stories without having to look over her shoulder.

Norman Fruman, an eminent professor of English at the U, now retired, believes that political correctness has gained a stranglehold in the humanities and social sciences.

"In recent decades, we've seen a relentless assault on American and Western history and values as the primary source of wickedness in the world," he said. "Literature no longer explores universal human experience, but instead has become a branch of politics, with a focus on often-second rate works about the victimhood of favored groups."Contempt and insults are regularly leveled at one group: white, heterosexual males," he added.

Doyle and Fruman see this rigid orthodoxy as self-perpetuating. "Birds of a feather hire together," quipped Doyle. Politically correct ideology is quasi-religious in nature, he explains. "You're not going to hire someone who seems like an infidel."

Intellectual diversity

Doyle is fighting the good fight for academic freedom and intellectual diversity as president of the Minnesota Association of Scholars, an organization to which I used to belong. The group's mission is to "promote academic rigor and free expression for everyone on campus, not just the politically correct," according to Doyle.

The MAS is sponsoring the documentary "Indoctrinate U" that opens tomorrow for a week-long run at the Oak Street Cinema near the U. The film showcases horror stories of political correctness from campuses around the country.

"Indoctrinate U" reveals a world where conservative campus speakers are shouted down, where conservative student newspapers are regularly stolen, and where teachers' primary role is seen as advocating for ideological causes.

Unfortunately, many Minnesota students who see "Indoctrinate U" may recognize in it colleges that look all too familiar.

© 2007 Star Tribune. All rights reserved.

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The pendulum has swung too far the 'other' way, I am afraid. After centuries of repression, the floodgates began to open in the '30s (Germany) and then spread to the rest of the West. Lots of good came from all of this: the Women's Right to Vote, Black Civil Rights, Gay Civil Rights....but after 40 some-odd years of 'liberal' education, there are 4 pilars of education that cannot be assailed:

Relativism: All 'truths; are fluid and relative, except of course, Relativisim which is Absolute.

Feminism: Men are evil creatures and must be kept down.

Post-Colonialism: the West is responsible for ALL the world's problems. Period.

Multi-culturalism: culture always trumps over civilization.

Try disputing any of these four pillars on any university campus today and see what happens.

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as it seems that it's the conservatives/republicans that on average are deficient in intellect, they should just STFU and be happy with a C.

*flame suit on*

Or go to Bob Jones University or Liberty University and be amongst their own kind.. :)

(To be fair, I know all Repubs aren't evangelical nut jobs)..though both my undergrad and grad schools were well-known as liberal institutions, I knew a number of Repubs that were intelligent (mostly biz school)..and back then (late 80s, early 90s) the Repubs weren't as disgusting as they are today (the corruption, incompetence, hypocrisy, racism that they symbolise and embrace).

Edited by moltar
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Sad.

This is far more pervasive than just an issue of PC overdose at universities. It is symptomatic of the least-common-denominator mentality of our entire society. Don't dare stand out in any way - you will be beaten down.

It used to be that High Schools were the citizen factories while universities were the havens of free thought.

It is the death of freedom, and we sheep are accepting it without a fight.

Ideology doesn't matter, the practice of homoginizing thought in institutions of learning is deeply offensive and dangerous regardless of the slant.

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Great to see you all backing up the article, even if you didn't mean to.

LMFAO :cheers:

My thoughts exactly!

I'm more conservative than liberal and I am a member of the college republicans at my campus. Not really because I like republicans; moreso because I hate liberals. (I have my reasons)

My hometown is very liberal and the college there is REALLY bad for this sort of thing. I have a friend who attends class there and often tries to bring her views to light (She's a conservative, but not a very strong one) and she is openly insulted and shot down. (Like serious name calling and insults) It really wouldn't do for me to attend class there because I would probably become violent; no, seriously, if someone insulted me like that I'd probably alter their face, professor or not. (Besides, I'm conservative right? Nothing like a little bit of good ole fashioned blood letting conflict to get MY rocks off)

My university on the other hand seems to be pretty balanced. Sure, everyone remarks about Bush but it's not because they're pushing a certain agenda, it's just because he's an idiot. I had one professor last semester that was super liberal but he wasn't a bad professor and I got an 'A' in the class, so obviously my stances didn't affect his judgement.

My girlfriends college is VERY liberal and someone found it funny to hang a sign of Bush with the words "Putting the CON back in Conservative" on one of the main entrances. I then found it even funnier to hang the sign "What's a four letter word for liberal? ... LAZY" below it. And I do like to discuss my theory, in very public places, about how all of the hippies who wouldn't get a job in the 60s pretty much CREATED an industry for themselves through academia and that it should be counted in the economy, because that's all our higher education is now; an industry. After all College is supposed to open your mind, not initiate homogeny. But then who am I kidding, I love to piss people off it's my 'thing'

All jokes aside, I do think this is a serious problem though. I remember reading a few years ago that largely, college campuses were becoming more conservative as a sort of backlash against the liberal academia. I'm sure that's changed by now though, since everybody's favorite f*ck up in the white house and the constant Hollywood (pop culture) rhetoric of 'it's not cool to be conservative' has made it VERY unpopular to be that way.

And I'm sure it'll only get worse as the liberals ratchet up the discrimination against everyone who isn't like them. I find it funny that the whole mindset of being liberal has to do with freedom, yet unless you live by their standards they want to force regulation on you faster than conservatives (witness the whole green movement and the SLEW of regulations and accountability that will SURELY smother us in the next 4 years -- Because the next president WILL be democratic.)

Oh well, I still wouldn't hesitate to speak my mind in class. I keep very good records of everything (notes, grades, etc.) and sometimes if it gets heated I hide a tape recorder on me and record the conversation just in case the instructor wants to be dishonest. :)

It's sad that Politics has infiltrated EVERY aspect of our lives in this country. That's why I'm largely apathetic and anti-government, simply because I'm so f*cking tired of hearing one side constantly bitching at the other about some stupid issue like gay marriage or fuel economy.

Edited by FUTURE_OF_GM
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Political Correctness is ruining our country.

Absolutely!

Try disputing any of these four pillars on any university campus today and see what happens.

:yes:

Sad.

This is far more pervasive than just an issue of PC overdose at universities. It is symptomatic of the least-common-denominator mentality of our entire society. Don't dare stand out in any way - you will be beaten down.

It used to be that High Schools were the citizen factories while universities were the havens of free thought.

It is the death of freedom, and we sheep are accepting it without a fight.

Ideology doesn't matter, the practice of homoginizing thought in institutions of learning is deeply offensive and dangerous regardless of the slant.

:bowdown:

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constant Hollywood (pop culture) rhetoric of 'it's not cool to be conservative' has made it VERY unpopular to be that way.

The pendulum swings both ways.

Maybe someday if America has an idiotic Liberal leader, there will be comedy shows that do a really good job of ripping him/her a new one too.

Time will tell - but remember that people are generally reactionary. The current Liberal swing will not last forever.

(I am Liberal, but I still realize that this will all end, probably sooner than later)

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The pendulum swings both ways.

Maybe someday if America has an idiotic Liberal leader, there will be comedy shows that do a really good job of ripping him/her a new one too.

Time will tell - but remember that people are generally reactionary. The current Liberal swing will not last forever.

(I am Liberal, but I still realize that this will all end, probably sooner than later)

I'm weary of the pendulum swings - I want a third alternative.

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And yet we desperately need a third choice, a wild card if you will, to keep the traditional adversaries on their toes.

We need new choices that send the pendulum sideways.

I agree with you. We need another two parties with strong intentions. Independents don't cut it. All they do is to act like catalysts, to help one party or other.

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Canada has 3 major parties (with one 'regional' party that only speaks for Quebec) and this succeeded in keeping the Liberals (arguably the centralist party) in power for decades. Even now, the Conservatives are only in power as a Minority government (votes have to be propped up by support of one of the other 3 parties) and only once they adopted a more 'centralist' way of thinking. So be careful what you wish for. Many countries with 3,4 or more parties have paralyzing coalition governments - look to Israel or Japan.

But in Canada, I perceive that it is the media that sets the agenda - and since the media is the product of 40 years of 'liberal' views (see my above post), only those topics deemed worthy by the media are allowed exposure in the media. For example, the recent Ontario election was hijacked by one issue: the Conservative leader goofed and actually said what he thought about the funding of religious schools. Suddenly, the entire election (and far more important issues, IMO) became a moot point as the media focused on this one subject.

In all of the Toronto city elections, it is the plight of the 'homeless' and the 'poor' that becomes the focus of every election, while the fact that the city is bankrupt (from providing subsidized housing and welfare!) and the infrastructure is literally collapsing gets totally ignored.

So, until free thinking is allowed on university campuses and in the media, without cries of 'racism,' 'homophobia,' 'mysogyny,' or whatever, things will continue to spiral out of control and we will continue to see our standard of living decline until eventually the 'stable' countries like the U.S., Canada, Great Britain and others collapse under the weight of their own inertia.

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I'm in favor of either dissolution of the Republican and Democratic parties or establishment of a major independent party that falls between the two. Both parties have too much power; there are probably others more fit to run the country that don't have the financial backing to compete with the juggernauts within. I'm tired of the division in this country and having two opposing parties rich in cash will keep that division alive. It seems like you have to buy your way to the White House anymore, rather than being the person most fit for the job.

Edited by mustang84
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The White House is just like high school; nothing but a giant popularity contest that the 'pretty' people with money win.

These days I'm not sure which is the bigger JOKE in this country; the media or the government.

There's always the GREEN party!!! (LOL-- Yeah right!)

I'd love to see a 3rd party come along, I'm actually registered as an Independent, but I don't think it will ever happen. IMO, the Dems and Repubs are getting too extreme. Why can't anyone just be moderate and do what's right for the people of this country anymore?

The government has become a tool of industry to a large extent, so they write policy for the benefit of that industry or those countries that house the industry.

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And yet we desperately need a third choice, a wild card if you will, to keep the traditional adversaries on their toes.

We need new choices that send the pendulum sideways.

Pendulums move sideways... you mean something that moves forward or backward? Something thats not just going to sit in purgatory?

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This is not a new issue and it won't go away any time soon. I've had many professors in college and teachers from all the way back in middle school who have their own agenda. You know that old saying: "Those who cannot do, teach". Well, this is the result.

Just last semester, I had a professor who was so blatent in his anti-US ideology, it had become a joke in the class. The course was a US-Latin America relations course which covered the time from the mid 1800s to the 1980s. They should've just renamed the course: "Why America is the cause for all problems in Latin America, and why you should be ashamed of yourselves" He goes on about America being too involved and how the socialist countries were unfairly demonized by the US because they didn't want them to be prosperous. In his eyes, Castro and Chavez are decent guys just trying make sure everyone in their country is happy. BULL S**T. I was so close to just walking out of that class but I needed it for a grade and just shut my mouth. He's not the worst by any means. He is relatively tame compared to the professors calling World Trade Center victims "little Eichmmans" (a notorious Nazi who helped develop the concentration camps) and others just lying to their students in order to get more people to support their outrageous views.

We can't prevent these people from entering the collegate system. The best we can do is offer students the chance to get as many viewpoints as possible to get a balanced view of the information given out. Like listening to Air America on a major news story and then switching over to Fox News or Rush Limbaugh to get the other side of that story and balance it out.

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Believe it or not, sociological studies suggest that people form their political ideology before they reach college age, so that kind of gives me hope that people like the afore mentioned have minimal impact on the beliefs of our students.

However, I think it is the 'in' thing now to lean to the liberal side and I really can see why that is appealing given how bad the Bush years have been.

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This is not a new issue and it won't go away any time soon. I've had many professors in college and teachers from all the way back in middle school who have their own agenda. You know that old saying: "Those who cannot do, teach". Well, this is the result.

Just last semester, I had a professor who was so blatent in his anti-US ideology, it had become a joke in the class. The course was a US-Latin America relations course which covered the time from the mid 1800s to the 1980s. They should've just renamed the course: "Why America is the cause for all problems in Latin America, and why you should be ashamed of yourselves" He goes on about America being too involved and how the socialist countries were unfairly demonized by the US because they didn't want them to be prosperous. In his eyes, Castro and Chavez are decent guys just trying make sure everyone in their country is happy. BULL S**T. I was so close to just walking out of that class but I needed it for a grade and just shut my mouth. He's not the worst by any means. He is relatively tame compared to the professors calling World Trade Center victims "little Eichmmans" (a notorious Nazi who helped develop the concentration camps) and others just lying to their students in order to get more people to support their outrageous views.

We can't prevent these people from entering the collegate system. The best we can do is offer students the chance to get as many viewpoints as possible to get a balanced view of the information given out. Like listening to Air America on a major news story and then switching over to Fox News or Rush Limbaugh to get the other side of that story and balance it out.

perhaps these prof's who are on the state payroll need to be censored....i.e. their statements are either not accurate or too biased to be 'endorsed' by taxpayer money.

start threatening their paychecks and maybe they will STFU

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I think both parties are equally corrupt... just in different ways. But in the end, whoever you elect is going to be corrupt.

The good guys never get elected.

In most elections these days, less than half the eligible voters turn out. Nobody is asking themselves WHY. That is THE question. Voters are so disgusted and fed up with the outright lies and bull$h! during elections that most of them have simply given up. For those of you out there who have bothered to vote, how many times have you voted for the person you figure will slowest destroy your city/county/state/country? It has been a very long time since I have voted FOR someone, but rather AGAINST someone I totally disliked.

The politician's agendas are hijacked right out of the gate by the media and by the interest groups. One Toronto election not too long ago was overtaken by discussions on a bridge to an island. Nobody but the downtown people living near a proposed expanded airport gave a damn, but that became all that was discussed during that election.

Along with our 'victim' society and lack of accountability, I believe stupid, unenforceable laws are also contributing to this mess. Take speed laws: if 76% of the people are speeding on a particular stretch of road or highway, then in my eyes the speed limit is wrong. However, the city/county is making too much money in revenue on artificially low speed limits and refuse to raise the speed limit. Tail wagging the dog. The longer term result, IMO, is that law abiding citizens ignore laws they feel are stupid, but it is death by a thousand cuts. At what point are average people flagrantly ignoring laws they don't believe in or support?

IMO, a good start would be taking a random group of citizens, pulled out of a hat, putting them in a room and having them re-write ALL the laws, starting with the Constitution, right down to local ordinances. Nothing would be sacrosanct. But then, laws are written by lawyers for lawyers, and only they can understand them. I would venture to say that there is no grey area on any issue: everything is either right or wrong, but boy, oh boy, do the waters ever get muddied once the lawyers are involved!

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I think both parties are equally corrupt... just in different ways. But in the end, whoever you elect is going to be corrupt.

The good guys never get elected.

In most elections these days, less than half the eligible voters turn out. Nobody is asking themselves WHY. That is THE question. Voters are so disgusted and fed up with the outright lies and bull$h! during elections that most of them have simply given up. For those of you out there who have bothered to vote, how many times have you voted for the person you figure will slowest destroy your city/county/state/country? It has been a very long time since I have voted FOR someone, but rather AGAINST someone I totally disliked.

The politician's agendas are hijacked right out of the gate by the media and by the interest groups. One Toronto election not too long ago was overtaken by discussions on a bridge to an island. Nobody but the downtown people living near a proposed expanded airport gave a damn, but that became all that was discussed during that election.

Along with our 'victim' society and lack of accountability, I believe stupid, unenforceable laws are also contributing to this mess. Take speed laws: if 76% of the people are speeding on a particular stretch of road or highway, then in my eyes the speed limit is wrong. However, the city/county is making too much money in revenue on artificially low speed limits and refuse to raise the speed limit. Tail wagging the dog. The longer term result, IMO, is that law abiding citizens ignore laws they feel are stupid, but it is death by a thousand cuts. At what point are average people flagrantly ignoring laws they don't believe in or support?

IMO, a good start would be taking a random group of citizens, pulled out of a hat, putting them in a room and having them re-write ALL the laws, starting with the Constitution, right down to local ordinances. Nothing would be sacrosanct. But then, laws are written by lawyers for lawyers, and only they can understand them. I would venture to say that there is no grey area on any issue: everything is either right or wrong, but boy, oh boy, do the waters ever get muddied once the lawyers are involved!

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For those of you out there who have bothered to vote, how many times have you voted for the person you figure will slowest destroy your city/county/state/country? It has been a very long time since I have voted FOR someone, but rather AGAINST someone I totally disliked.

I have examples of both in my two senators here in PA. I normally vote straight democrat. However, whenever Republican Senator Spector is up for election I vote for him. He seems fairly principled and has stood up to Bush on occasion even though they are the same party.

Former Senator Sanitarium however, they could have run Oscar the Grouch against him promising more frequent trash pickup days and I would have voted for Oscar.

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In most elections these days, less than half the eligible voters turn out. Nobody is asking themselves WHY. That is THE question. Voters are so disgusted and fed up with the outright lies and bull$h! during elections that most of them have simply given up. For those of you out there who have bothered to vote, how many times have you voted for the person you figure will slowest destroy your city/county/state/country? It has been a very long time since I have voted FOR someone, but rather AGAINST someone I totally disliked

It's like George Carlin says:

"On election day, I'll be at home doing the same thing you guys do when you punch that ballot. Except, when I'm done, I'll have a little something to show for it."

I've been eligable to vote 2 times.. 1st time the guy I voted for won the election, but didn't get office (Thank god!! Yeah, I was young and dumb) Second time I simply didn't vote; for 3 reasons 1) Pure lack of choice -- I hated both candidates. 2) I don't really support what this country has become and would rather isolate myself. 3) I'm just tired and bored to death with hearing the Conservatives damning people to hell and the Liberals CONSTANT, non-stop through the liberal media, b*tching about the conservatives.

Edited by FUTURE_OF_GM
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hoping this isn't pushing the #2 rule...past what has been done already in this thread.

even if you don't watch the last ~20 secs... this is a big reason why people don't vote...like what F.O.G. said

looking back, i voted for the "incumbent"... the 1 time I could have. we need better candidates...that are actually different/stand for their beliefs with evidence since most candidates have previous experience in governmental offices.

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Maybe someday if America has an idiotic Liberal leader, there will be comedy shows that do a really good job of ripping him/her a new one too.

We did their names were Carter and Clinton, but to see comedy shows lambasting them would mean Hollywood would have to change too, not going to happen. The last great Democratic president in my mind was JFK, funny in today's world he most likely based on his policies then, would be considered a conservative today.

Let the liberals rant on the college campuses, when you get into the real world of mega corporations, it's the liberals that will need to change their MO's to survive in the corporate world, it's just the nature of the beast.

As for me, all politicians suck, along with lawyers, they are just in it for themselves, again it's the nature of the beast, power corrupts!

Just so you know, I'm not a Republican, but a Democrat! Scary huh? :P

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Since the original topic of this thread was "Pariahs of our college campusas", I thought I'd change the current political discussion to one that fits the thread.

It seems that the University of Delaware has instituted a new "manditory" program (indoctrination) that all students must believe that "All whites are racists". It makes for interesting reading and shows that the "far left-wing" professors and educators in our schools are out of touch with reality and the fact that we should have freedom of thought and of speech in this country.

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58426

While I agree with most of the posters here about both political parties failing the people, our universities seem to be breeding grounds for a "big brother" mentality, and no tolerance for the freedoms given to everyone in our constitution.

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Since the original topic of this thread was "Pariahs of our college campusas", I thought I'd change the current political discussion to one that fits the thread.

It seems that the University of Delaware has instituted a new "manditory" program (indoctrination) that all students must believe that "All whites are racists". It makes for interesting reading and shows that the "far left-wing" professors and educators in our schools are out of touch with reality and the fact that we should have freedom of thought and of speech in this country.

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=58426

While I agree with most of the posters here about both political parties failing the people, our universities seem to be breeding grounds for a "big brother" mentality, and no tolerance for the freedoms given to everyone in our constitution.

At best this program is an obscenity, at worst it is state-sponsored terrorism.

The University of Delaware should be deeply ashamed of this.

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Universities in a Grander picture, should abstain from ANY political, religious, racial side-taking, unless they are funded by special organizations (who can do whatever they want to) . We go there to study and learn, not hear and get biased opinions imbibed into us. Yes there will be individual professors and others who would still take sides regardless, but the institution as a whole should not side anybody or any doctrines of dogmacy.

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